2 weeks Ago
CLEMSON — Despite the news coming on a day filled with prank headlines, Clemson University has confirmed its first sales of alcohol at athletic events is coming in just a few days. Alcoholic beverages — though it's not clear what's on the menu — will be available for purchase at designated concession stands inside Memorial Stadium during the April 5 Spring Game . The announcement comes less than one year after Clemson applied for new alcohol sales licenses at its athletics facilities, saying at the time the licenses were for storage purposes.
The April 1 news release indicates the football stadium will see alcohol sales via "limited offerings available at portable kiosks and other vendors." Clemson alcohol sales FAQ Each sale will require an ID, and no vertical IDs will be accepted regardless of the person's age, the release said. "We are excited to continue to expand concessions offerings and roll out this important change to our gameday experience, and we want to be thoughtful in doing so," Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said in a release.
"We have appreciated the support from several key groups to begin a safe implementation that is both fan-friendly and family-friendly. We will continue to evaluate the impacts and adapt our offerings and policies to meet the needs of our fans." Alcohol sales at baseball and softball games are anticipated to begin the week of April 7, as both teams home games during the week.
The weekend of April 11-13 brings a home baseball series against Stanford before the team hosts Louisville the following weekend. For the spring football game, no alcohol will be sold at Memorial Stadium after the third quarter. At baseball and softball games, the cut-off will be the seventh and fifth innings, respectively.
As the university implements its inaugural alcohol season, the policies and procedures may change, the release said. Addition of alcohol sales do not impact the existing stadium re-entry policies nor the procedures in IPTAY premium areas at this time, the release said, though no alcohol purchased at a game can be brought outside the stadium where it was purchased. A full menu of brands and offerings has yet to be determined, a Clemson spokesperson confirmed, but those details are being finalized and coming together quickly.
Clemson head baseball coach Erik Bakich said Jan. 23 that beer sales were coming to Doug Kingsmore Stadium this year, though the university hadn't fully outlined its plan yet. Bakich later admitted he "jumped the gun" in announcing those sales in late January before the university had.
Most of Clemson's athletic venues have a map on file with the S.C. Department of Revenue outlining where alcohol can be sold, including basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, lacrosse and soccer, according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
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