SMU AD Rick Hart yesterday said that the school plans to begin alcohol sales "at a basketball double-header on Jan. 4 at Moody Coliseum," according to Melissa Repko of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. SMU found that many schools in the American Athletic Conference and elsewhere "already sold alcohol to the public." Fans "urged SMU to do so," and a task force "unanimously endorsed the idea." Hart said that athletics officials "will present a final plan to administrators soon." SMU has "already obtained the local and state permits to sell alcoholic beverages," but it "still needs Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approval." Hart said that SMU and its concessionaire company, Aramark, are "researching ways to block underage consumption and prevent binge drinking at the games." That may include "limiting the number of drinks sold at one time, setting up the sales in parts of the concourse more visible to security officers and cutting off sales before the end of the game." Hart added that beer and wine sales during basketball and football games "may actually decrease disruptive behavior" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/15).
