After more than a year of discussions by two chancellors and two school presidents, Univ. of Texas officials yesterday announced that beer and wine sales have been "approved for the public concession stands" during football games at Royal-Memorial Stadium this fall, according to Brian Davis of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. UT men's AD Steve Patterson said, "I think it’s part of trying to provide the best game day experience for all our fans that we possibly can." Davis notes Patterson "expects to net about $500,000 for a full season of alcohol sales," which is "approximately what West Virginia University officials have said they receive for beer sales." Patterson added, "You’ll see some of the soft drink sales go down. There’ll probably be a few fewer hip flasks in boots.” Davis notes Patterson "pushed for beer sales" prior to the '14 football season but was "rebuffed by then-UT Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, who said the issue needed more study." Three other schools in the UT System "already sell alcohol at sporting events," as does SMU, the Univ. of Houston and the Univ. of North Texas. Alcohol sales were "first approved at UT before the final men’s and women’s basketball game" of the '13-14 regular season and for baseball and softball games, and sales continued through the '14-15 academic year at those events. Only the 35,000 or so fans in clubs and suites "had access to alcohol" at Royal-Memorial Stadium during football games. Coors Light is a UT sponsor, but Patterson said that the concession stands will "offer a mix of beer and wine choices" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 6/18). In Dallas, Todd Davis reported UT Athletics, UT Police, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and concessionaire Sodexo Sports & Leisure "were consulted on the measure" (DALLASNEWS.com, 6/17).
COURAGE UNDER FIRE: SCOUT.com's Chip Brown reports more than 18 months after Patterson’s hire, university insiders "are fed up with what they say is an athletic director who can’t or won’t relate to people and who puts making money or saving money above everything -- even Texas student-athletes and coaches, who have seen cuts by Patterson impact them directly." Sources said that Patterson is "being blamed for misleading football season ticket holders, being disingenuous about funding for a new tennis facility, alienating longtime donors as well as faculty and staff, running off UT’s band director, defying former school president Bill Powers, planting a vicious press leak targeting former basketball coach Rick Barnes and of being more loyal to Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott than to those at Texas or the Big 12." Patterson, who declined to be interviewed, "is praised" by UT Women’s AD Chris Plonsky for "bringing a cutting edge approach to the business elements of running a college athletic department." Sources said that Patterson "seems to rely more on the opinion" of Scott than "anyone affiliated with Texas or the Big 12" (SCOUT.com, 6/18).
