OLYMPIA – Washington State University can continue selling beer and wine at home football games after a unanimous decision by the state liquor and cannabis board.
The board voted Tuesday to extend a pilot program between the university and Aramark for one more season, after which it could either extend the program again or approve a more permanent agreement. The board initially approved a one-year pilot program last fall, and as part of the agreement, the university and Aramark reviewed the issues that arose.
Under the agreement, the alcohol-free zone inside Gesa Field will be expanded from the student section to encompass the entire north grandstand and adjacent concourse of the stadium. Joe Radermacher, a licensing compliance specialist with the state Liquor and Cannabis Board, said Tuesday that WSU will modify alcohol service pregame at Rogers Field, though details of these changes were not discussed Tuesday.
The university will also crack down on fans who throw mini Fireball bottles onto the field of play.
Radermacher said compliance teams observed alcohol sales at several home games last season.
“Although certain issues did raise concerns about their operations, they continue to listen to our feedback and made efforts to improve throughout the season,” Radermacher said.
One of the issues that was identified, Radermacher said, was a lack of staff understanding of alcohol control requirements and “responsible liquor sales.” Radermacher said issues also arose with fans bringing in alcohol from outside of the stadium and underage drinking.
“And overall athletic event culture as it relates to responsible alcohol consumption,” Radermacher said.
Both WSU and Aramark have agreed to reduce the areas of the stadium where alcohol can be sold and implement “numerous initiatives” to improve training and student conduct.
Under the plan, WSU police and alcohol enforcement staff will monitor entry gates for either intoxicated fans or those trying to bring in alcohol from the outside.
The alcohol enforcement staff will also monitor the student sections and look for fans who throw objects onto the field. The plan also calls for staff to remove violators from the stands and “process their ejection from the stadium with WSU police.”
“Overall, licensing and enforcement feel that the combination of these efforts goes a long way towards addressing our concerns and will help improve the safety of guests, the culture around alcohol consumption and Aramark’s ability to provide responsible service,” Radermacher said.
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