Purdue averaged $187,327 in gross alcohol sales during night football gamesGETTY IMAGES
Alcohol sales "nearly doubled at Purdue home football games" in '18 compared to the previous season, according to Mike Carmin of the Lafayette JOURNAL & COURIER. In '17, the first season alcohol was sold in the concourse, the Purdue athletic department "generated $567,778.76 in gross sales." Last season, the figure jumped to $1,063,632 "thanks to a seventh game at Ross-Ade Stadium and three kickoffs starting under the lights." Sales throughout the concourse make up 73% of the "gross revenue in the last two seasons." The largest alcohol sales figure in '18 was $217,440 for a night game against Ohio State. Purdue "averaged $187,327 in gross sales during night games." In '17, two games "generated over $100,000 in gross revenue sales compared to six games last season" (Lafayette JOURNAL & COURIER, 1/16).
LISTEN TO THE FANS: SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL's Michael Smith notes Purdue "wants to plan a major renovation to its football home," but first AD Mike Bobinski is "bringing in Elevate Sports Ventures to get feedback from fans on what they want." Elevate will embark on a "massive data-driven study to find out preferences for all of the things that go into the fan experience -- parking, seat location and comfort, communication, concessions, technology and more." The study will "incorporate feedback from tens of thousands" of Purdue fans. Purdue will "work with designer Populous on the Ross-Ade Stadium improvements" (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/14 issue).
