FB: Southern Athletic Association

[MCScots2013]

Fair point about zoning for alcohol sales. Blount County still has no alcohol around a church (and there's a lot of churches). Makes me wonder if the MC Chapel counts? We have a Presbyterian minister on staff so it counting wouldn't shock me.

I was just talking to my wife about MC's booze policy. She went to a large state school in VA where it was surprisingly a dry campus, but unsurprisingly, enforcement was not top priority.

MC allowed alcohol if you were 21+, but everyone in your room must also be 21+ if there was alcohol. If you had an underage guest or roommate with alcohol present that was an "alcohol violation". There were plenty violations each semester, but the rules were simple enough.  For a school started as a seminary and continued daily chapel requirements into the '70s, it wasn't a bad situation for those of us wanting a beer...or twelve.

[awadelewis]

The legal liability and logistic issues with alcohol sales makes it very unattractive. I don't see the hassle of alcohol sales matching the return for a small program.

[MCScots2013]

That could very well be the case. Selling beer at athletics events changes the "in the business of" requirement for host liquor liability on their College's general liability and makes it a true exposure and need for Liquor Liability insurance. I know that's crazy expensive in SC, but no idea about Tennessee.

[Mavchamp]

That could very well be the case. Selling beer at athletics events changes the "in the business of" requirement for host liquor liability on their College's general liability and makes it a true exposure and need for Liquor Liability insurance. I know that's crazy expensive in SC, but no idea about Tennessee.

When many of the current SCAC schools were leaving the ASC..... I had heard RUMOR that one of the many sticking points between some of the schools was alcohol sales at athletic events.  I can't substantiate that AT ALL.  That's why I call it rumor only.  But there's also a chance that it actually was one of the grievances.

No idea.

But I wonder if that would be a sticking point for other conferences with a mix of private Christian and state schools in them.  Not to mention that even withing Christian circles the view on alcohol consumption varies widely from denomination to denomination.

I'm assuming the SAA is open to that.

[awadelewis]

All of the discussion about alcohol sales at events prompts a good off-season topic: How do the schools in the conference deal with concessions in their athletic venues?   

Sewanee has a very much of a high-school feel with football concessions run by one of the charitable organizations from the town (with safety and food-handling training from our Dining Services staff).  It's a big contrast to the mid-major D1 where I went to graduate school bidding concessions at athletic events out to the big food service outfits (Sodexo, most recently).

[MCScots2013]

I couldn't tell you to be honest. I think the concessions workers are students, but it's once in a blue moon I hit the concession stand. It's too easy to go in and out of the stadium back to the tailgate.

Food service are huge contracts for all residential colleges. Probably too high of a cost for a small college/too low of revenue for food service contractors from the dining hall to want to do it.

Went to the Lynchburg Regional for baseball this year and the local Lynchburg minor league stadium did normal concessions. Way over priced for a D3 game.

[y_jack_lok]

All of the discussion about alcohol sales at events prompts a good off-season topic: How do the schools in the conference deal with concessions in their athletic venues?   

Sewanee has a very much of a high-school feel with football concessions run by one of the charitable organizations from the town (with safety and food-handling training from our Dining Services staff).  It's a big contrast to the mid-major D1 where I went to graduate school bidding concessions at athletic events out to the big food service outfits (Sodexo, most recently).

Where does tailgating fit into all of this? Do some schools solve the alcohol problem by allowing it in the parking areas devoted to tailgating, but not allow alcohol sales in the stadium itself? Don't some people go just for the tailgating and never actually enter the stadium to watch the game?

[MCScots2013]

At Maryville, tailgating is on the hill and you can literally watch the game there the entire time if you want. You are facing the scoreboard on the other end. Many people do that. Probably 500 if I had to guess.