ETSU to start selling beer at home football games

Published 10:49 am Wednesday, September 28, 2022

JOHNSON CITY – The East Tennessee State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Tuesday adjustments to its gameday atmosphere at home football games. Starting with Saturday’s game against Chattanooga, fans will be allowed to purchase beer, while the Bookstore will be relocating to the main entrance on the east side of the stadium.

“We have gone to great lengths to develop a safe and efficient process to handle the sale of beer,” said Dr. Richard Sander, ETSU’s interim Athletic Director. “Numerous entities on campus came together in an attempt to identify every possible concern and then establish a plan to mitigate those concerns. We learned a great deal from the Miranda Lambert concert and have a better feel for the challenges.  It was great that we had so many different units on campus come together to make this happen.”

Fans consuming beer – regardless of age – will have to present a valid, government-issued ID, verifying that they are 21 years of age or older and wear a wristband indicating legal age throughout the game. Fans can purchase one wristband per transaction with a maximum of three drink tabs on each wristband. One drink will cost $9 each with the options consisting of five types of beer and one seltzer. Individuals may only exchange two drink tabs at a time. Fans can obtain wristbands and drink tabs throughout the game until the 7-minute mark of the third quarter. Distribution tents will close at the end of the third quarter. All drinks purchased must be consumed on site and cannot be taken outside the stadium. Drink tabs and wristbands will not be transferable to future games.

Wristbands will be available at these locations:

Distribution tents will be set up at these locations:

Gates to Greene Stadium open two hours prior to kickoff. A limited number of registers will be open at that time with more becoming available 30 minutes later and full operation coming one hour prior to kick. A total of nine registers will be open during the game.

All servers have a current alcohol servers permit issued by the state of Tennessee and have gone through responsible alcohol service training.

Fan safety and behavior continues to be ETSU’s number one priority. Servers have the right to refuse sale of wristbands and beer to those who look impaired.