ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Starting August 31, the Big House is going to sell alcohol at their football games.
Michael Jordan, the self-proclaimed greatest of all time when it comes to food and beverage, and the one in charge of it at UM, told 7 News Detroit about 110,000 fans come to Michigan football games.
He said that to adequately serve the of age fans who are interested in buying alcohol, the stadium has set up 600 tanks full of beverages surrounding the stadium.
In addition to the tanks Jordan said they will also have "brew-thru"s set up which are locally made, self-serve beverage and snack check-outs that will have Michigan beers and be monitored.
"These things are incredibly quick, they really help get guests through the line," said Jordan.
He said the Michigan team has spent months coming up with a plan to distribute alcohol as the Big House was built in 1927 and doesn't have the built-in space for this quantity of beverages, or food, to be sold.
"In a lot of these spaces we found a place where we could tuck in new locations, or turn locations that may have been one person selling water, into a place where we can sell beer, water, popcorn and make it a little more," said Jordan.
Ashton Wright is a senior at UM who told us he plans to buy alcohol this season, "My plan is getting in there and buying two, one for the first half, one for the second."
Jacqueline Aguiar is also a UM student over the age of 21 who told us, "I think a lot of people pre-game so hard so they can last through the game, and I think it’s safer especially in the heat to just get a few drinks there."
Interestingly enough, this National Institute of Health study cites that alcohol-related incidents at college stadium games have been found to decrease when alcohol is sold within the stadium.
To make sure minors aren't served, Jordan said those 21 and over who are buying drinks will be given wristbands at games.
He also said, "We are going to bring in about 400 people to sell beer."
That's 400 new jobs, not including warehouse workers or all the alcohol compliance team workers.
The trend of selling alcohol at college football games is growing.
In 2023 Michigan State, Kentucky, and Stanford began selling alcohol at their football games, we'll find out Saturday how it is received at Michigan.
