Booze sales coming to Michigan college sporting events
Public appears supportive of Michigan's new booze bill
It likely won't come as a surprise that Michigan's newest law opening up college sporting events to alcohol sales isn't finding a lot of push back. That's true in the legislature after the bill gained bipartisan support before the governor signed it. And it's true among people on the street.
(FOX 2) - It likely won't come as a surprise that Michigan's newest law opening up college sporting events to alcohol sales isn't finding a lot of push back.
That's true in the legislature after the bill gained bipartisan support before the governor signed it. And it's true among people on the street.
To adults like Joseph Fisher, it seems like a reasonable law to enact.
"They have this at all other sporting events. Most of the people who go are alumni as well," he said. "Why not?"
One apprehension could come from worries about opening up access to college kids - though not many saw sales of alcohol as much different from the game day traditions many already partake in.
"I don’t think it’s going to affect anything that's going on right now with everyone tailgating," said Marquis Neal, "but it does bring another aspect to it. Maybe different kinds of fans."
"I don’t think much changes. Kids are already going to have access to it," said Jeff Rutledge. "And for everybody else, it’s a net positive financially for the universities. I think everyone else will enjoy themselves even more."
Both Rutledge and Neal's t-shirts had proud Spartan and Wolverine iconography on them.
Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, the state's two largest public education institutions, both plan on serving alcohol during its major sporting events this year.
While other colleges like Oakland University also supported the bill, they don't intend on serving anything this season.
Currently, 11 of the 14 Big Ten schools allow the sale of alcohol, including Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue, Penn State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the legislation Tuesday, anchoring the bill has being beneficial to small business. She also signed other alcohol bills relating to making cocktails to-go permanent.
"Michigan State University and the University of Michigan are two of three Big Ten schools prohibited by law from selling alcohol," Whitmer said. "Authorizing the legal sale of alcohol at sporting events will bring us on equal footing with other universities, help reduce the likelihood of binge-drinking before games, and bring in a heck of a lot more revenue that we can use to improve the student experience."