Rutgers: Beer, wine sales to begin at HighPoint.com Stadium, other campus venues, this fall

PISCATAWAY - If you're heading to a Rutgers football game this fall, make sure you have your I.D. handy. 

The school's athletic department announced on Wednesday morning that it will expand beer and wine sales at sporting venues beginning this fall. That means general seating areas at HighPoint.com Stadium, the RAC, Yurcak Field, and at baseball and softball games. Alcohol is already offered in premium seating areas at HighPoint, as well as hospitality areas at the RAC. 

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Revenue from this move, which is being endorsed by RUPD and the Rutgers University Senate among other key internal groups, will be used to offset scholarship costs for more than 600 student-athletes. The cost of those scholarships annually is approximately $16 million. 

“This decision was the result of a year-long review of the experience and data from across the college landscape,” Rutgers Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs said in a statement. “Universities have seen a dramatic drop in alcohol-related incidents on game day by providing a controlled environment for beer and wine sales. We will work closely with RUPD to achieve similar results at Rutgers.”

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“Data from peer institutions shows a correlation between a decrease in alcohol-related incidents when a venue provides a controlled environment for beer and wine sales," Rutgers University Chief of Police Kenneth Cop said in a statement. “The RUPD will continue to be vigorous in working with Rutgers Athletics to promote public safety at athletic events and expects attendees to respect all applicable laws to ensure a safe and enjoyable game day experience.”

Rutgers' announcement was not met with universal praise. Later Wednesday morning, Piscataway Mayor Brian C. Wahler, a 1984 Rutgers graduate, lambasted the school for its lack of transparency with the town. 

“I’m a Rutgers graduate and a Rutgers fan,” Wahler said. “However, no one local agreed to let the university open up a 52,000-seat bar in Piscataway.

“Selling beer and wine to all fans may be an easy money maker for the university, but then it wrongly falls to Piscataway Township to deal with the fallout. Our local roads shouldn’t become highways for drunk drivers. If this proposal moves forward and if the university maintains its unwillingness to work with local officials, the Township reserves the right to take all necessary action to protect public safety, which can include DWI checkpoints on game days.”

Wahler is calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to veto the university’s Board of Governors minutes, which would have the effect of nullifying the measure.

Last Sept. 27, before Rutgers played Indiana in a noon game, Rutgers put on RU Brewfest in the Athlete's Glen, across the street from the stadium. The event was met with mostly positive reviews. 

Division I schools allowing alcohol sales at sporting events have become more commonplace in recent years. Currently, 51 of the nation's 129 FBS programs offer in-stadium alcohol sales to the general public. 

Staff writer Josh Newman: jnewman@app.com; @Joshua_Newman