Rutgers Will Expand Beer, Wine Sales To General Seating Areas

Beer and wine were already being offered in some premium seating areas at HighPoint.com Stadiumrutgers

Rutgers will "expand beer and wine sales at sporting venues beginning this fall," according to a front-page piece by Josh Newman of the ASBURY PARK PRESS. That means alcohol will be available in "general seating areas at HighPoint.com Stadium, the RAC, Yurcak Field, and at baseball and softball games." It already is offered in "premium seating areas at HighPoint, as well as hospitality areas at the RAC." Revenue from this move will be "used to offset scholarship costs for more than 600 student-athletes." The cost of those scholarships annually is approximately $16M. The move was "not met with universal praise." Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler, a Rutgers graduate, "lambasted the school for its lack of transparency with the town." Wahler: "No one local agreed to let the university open up a 52,000-seat bar in Piscataway" (ASBURY PARK PRESS, 2/21).