The University of Minnesota is ready to make beer and wine sales a permanent fixture at Gopher football games.
After a two-year experiment, university officials found "no significant increase" in alcohol-related incidents at TCF Bank Stadium, according to a report this week to the Board of Regents. In fact, there were fewer police calls about rowdy or drunken fans in 2013 than in 2010, two years before the on-site beer and wine sales began.
"It really has not been the problem that some might have expected it would be," Vice President Pamela Wheelock said.
University officials, who had once resisted the idea of alcohol sales because of concerns about student drinking, now say that they want to continue the sales after the pilot project expires in July. The plan would require legislative approval.
"It seems to be a success," Wheelock said.
Last fall, police reported 59 alcohol-related incidents at the stadium, compared with 77 in 2010. In 2011, the year before alcohol sales began, 57 incidents were reported.
"There was no significant increase in problem behavior," Wheelock said. In light of that experience, she added, "we're fine making this work."
The university took in $181,678 as its share of the profits on just over $1 million in beer and wine sales during the 2013 season, according to the report.