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Wake Forest Expanding Alcohol Sales at BB&T Field

Wake Forest

In a fairly significant development for the program, Wake Forest is expanding alcohol sales at BB&T Field.

Wake Forest will be putting the new policy–which allows for alcohol to be purchased throughout the stadium–into effect for the upcoming season. Offerings will include beer and wine, which Wake Forest is now expanding the availability of following a boom in sales at the Top Hat Tavern, which was previously one of the few premium on-campus venues where alcohol could be purchased.

“Our fans have responded favorably to being able to purchase beer and wine outside of Deacon Tower,” athletic director Ron Wellman said in a press statement. “We received excellent reviews on opening Top Hat Tavern. As we examined ways to increase the fan experience at BB&T Field, making these beverages more widely available was met with a favorable response from various constituencies of our program.”

The effort to increase alcohol availability has been pursued by many universities over the past few years. Aside from presenting a potentially significant revenue source, the ability to sell alcohol can also make premium spaces within stadiums more marketable to prospective clients.

Though it may be part of a broader trend, the development in Wake Forest is very notable in a certain context. More from the Winston-Salem Journal:

Wake Forest will become the first NCAA Division I institution in North Carolina to sell alcohol stadium wide. According to a study conducted by Wake Forest, there were approximately 36 universities that sold alcohol to the general public in 2015 – including Syracuse, Louisville and Miami of the Atlantic Coast Con-ference.

The NCAA Board of Governors voted to allow the sale of alcohol at championship events beginning with the College World Series and Women’s College World Series of 2016. The ACC allowed beer and wine sales at sporting events starting with the 2015 season.

Concessions at BB&T Field and Joel Coliseum are operated by Spectra Food Services, which will offer beer at all permanent concession stands as well as new portable and signature concept stands around the venue. Wine will be sold at select concession stands.

BB&T Field will not be the only venue affected by Wake Forest’s new policy. LJVM Coliseum will begin selling beer and wine on an arena-wide basis for the 2016-17 basketball season.

Image courtesy of Wake Forest football. 

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