Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Y'all Law: Gameday Beers at the Game

Gameday Beers at the Game. It only makes sense. Right?
I took a small break from posting last week. And judging from my analytics page, there are four or five of you that were disappointed by the lack of updates. But I’m getting back on the wagon this week.

A few weeks ago Bo and Cooper were talking about selling beer at college football games in Mississippi. They went on and on about how good it would be for the university and how short-sighted everyone is for not doing this, and how much money there is to be made.

I’ve been sitting on this post for awhile now, but as I remember it Bo estimated that the colleges would be able to clear three or four dollars per drink. And that this new revenue stream would easily pay for three or four Title IX sports (I believe he used women’s tennis as an example). So obviously, this is win-win for everyone involved.
First off, these sorts of crackpot calculations are the reason new business ventures fail. If a college could realistically clear $4 per beer, everyone would be doing it. A few things to keep in mind: the market for beer sales doesn’t extend to the entire stadium. How many fans are already bringing their own drinks inside the stadium? 60%? That seems low, maybe 70 or 75. Why would these fans pay for a beer when they already have a bottle of whiskey in their pocket?

Second, Bo was talking like this is a decision that could be enacted before August if just three or four people just got on the same page. Bo isn’t taking into account the number of political and regulatory changes that need to be made for state entity to introduce alcohol sales. This is not as simple as the AD deciding to tap a few kegs inside the stadium.

And, the revenues will have to be split among several parties, including the distributor. And let’s not forget the tax implications. All of a sudden, this $4-per-drink profit margin is getting a lot thinner.

Of course, there is revenue to be made. And there are lots of examples out there of successful programs. But just because you can sell beer doesn’t mean that you should.

One astute caller reminded Bo and Cooper that drunk football fans present a greater risk to themselves and others. And this is where he lost me, Bo says, “So what. People abuse McDonalds and we continue to sell it.”

It sounds like Bo just drew a parallel between between drunk driving and the drive-thru window. He goes on to mention obesity and the health problems that stem from that and how prevalent it is in our society and state. All true. But not at all related to selling beer to college football fans. This is probably a direct result Fitness Fridays with Chris from The Club.

Also, let’s keep in mind that this is a radio pitchman who, on a daily basis, implores his y’all lifestyle followers to eat at Shapley’s. A meal at Shapley’s probably has an equal caloric and fat content of your average fast food value meal.

But, there is some value in his argument that obesity in this country, and especially in this state, is an epidemic. Below is a video about Holmes County, recently crowned the most obese county in Mississippi that highlights the issues surrounding unhealthy eating. And, if Mississippi is most obese state, then Holmes is considered to be the most obese county in the United States. The epicenter of the world for unhealthy living.

After you watch the video we can refocus our attention to developing quarterback talent in the state.

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