Virginia Tech "plans to introduce beer and wine sales in the indoor club seats at Lane Stadium this season," becoming the latest school to introduce alcohol sales as a way to "generate more revenue to cover the rising cost of doing business, including cost-of-attendance stipends for players," according to Mike Barber of the RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH. VT Associate AD/Strategic Communications Pete Moris said, "We’ve solicited feedback from our fans, and folks in premium areas have expressed a preference to have this option. I think if you’re responsible about it and the way you manage and monitor it, it can really be an enhanced experience on game day.” Moris estimated that 2% of ticketholders "will have the opportunity to purchase alcohol during games this season." He said, “Like with anything you introduce in any part of the stadium, you’re going to want to evaluate it after one game, after two games, after the six games at home this year and see what worked and what you can do better." Barber noted VT will keep 12% "of the revenue generated in the club section alcohol sales." Moris said that an outside catering company "will keep the majority of the money." Twenty-one on-campus college football stadiums in '14 "offered beer sales" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 7/30). In Virginia, David Teel noted while AD Whit Babcock has worked at schools like West Virginia and Cincinnati that "offer general sales of alcohol at football games, he has no such plans" for VT. Moris said, "There was a misconception that we're going to open the floodgates like West Virginia here. That's never going to happen under Whit's watch." Teel noted the only "possible expansion of beer and wine sales is to the club area in the south end zone." Moris: "That would be the final outpost that's even a discussion. Whit has no desire to expand it beyond that" (DAILYPRESS.com, 7/30).
