Penn State trustees "soon will grapple with the issue of whether to permit limited alcohol sales" inside Beaver Stadium for football games, according to Debra Erdley of the PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW. If they approve the measure, "possibly at their May meeting, beer and wine would be available only to fans in the stadium's club seats, suites and reception areas." The plan also "calls for approving sales at the university's two golf courses and at events in the Bryce Jordan Center," the 15,261-seat multi-purpose arena that is home to PSU men's and women's basketball. The stadium, event center and golf courses all are "operated by the athletic department." With football coaching salaries at major universities soaring "into the seven-figure range," records show that overall game attendance has "declined to its lowest point" since '03. As a result, officials are "seeking new ways to support their programs." About 25% of the schools in D-I have opted to sell beer at football games. Penn State Deputy AD & COO Phil Esten said that the school's push is also "aimed at enhancing the experience of those watching events from pricey private suites and club areas" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 3/13).
