Penn State football fans say expanded alcohol sales add to ‘good football, good environment’

Alcohol was available to all fans 21 and older at Beaver Stadium during Saturday’s game between Penn State and Northwestern.

It came after the Penn State board of trustees approved the expanded sale of alcohol in the stadium on Sept. 23 and picked the matchup with the Wildcats as the test run five days later.

Lines on the upper level of the stadium contained double-digit consumers on Saturday afternoon.

After waiting 10 minutes for a beer, Liz Shaw said she likely wouldn’t get another but wanted to indulge in the experience at least once.

“For me, personally, it’s a novelty,” Shaw said. “So we’ll take a picture and post it online, and that’ll probably be the end of it.”

Taking pictures at football games is a common practice, and Shaw undoubtedly wasn’t the only person to post a photo holding a beer can during or after the Big Ten clash.

In the same respect, Charles Jones wasn’t the only lifelong Nittany Lion supporter who decided to celebrate another game in Beaver Stadium with a cold one in his hand, despite the cost.

While all beers were 16 ounces across the venue, domestic selections were priced at $10, while specialty options were set at $12.

Jones described the purchase as “expensive” but said he would be back for another can later. (Fans are limited to two 16-ounce cans at a time and sales stop at the end of the third quarter.)

Drinking beer is not always a means to an end, especially when it comes to fans at sporting events.

Oftentimes, these consumers are just looking for something to sip on while taking in the sights and sounds of whatever game they’re watching. Such was the case for Penn State supporter and alumnus Mark Wojtowicz.

“I know a lot of people are excited about, you know, being able to come in, have a beverage and, you know, enjoy the game,” Wojtowicz said.

Wojtowicz said just one beer was enough for him, and added he believes it’ll be nice for fans to have the option to take back a beer on a hot day.

While the faceoff between the Wildcats and Nittany Lions was anything but hot — with temperatures in the 50s, consistent rain coming down and wind often blowing in — fans were still more than willing to take part in what was a historic moment in school history. Eight of the Big Ten’s 14 schools allow alcohol sales in public areas.

Alumni like Wojtowicz were likely to find their way back to Beaver Stadium, regardless of the addition of alcohol, but for many others who don’t have strong ties to the university, it provided further reason to return for another game.

With four home games left, and seemingly no problems stemming from the vending, there’s little doubt beer sales will continue for the rest of the 2022 football season.

“I feel like for my first time coming here finding out this is the first game with beer, I was actually surprised. I feel like that should be something that should have been going on for years now,” Aron Sobers said. “I think that when you’re at a game like this — you’re getting some good football, good environment — $10 for a beer is perfect.”