The widely-debated topic among Iowa State fans is now resolved: concession menus at Iowa State games will now feature alcoholic beverages.
Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, Iowa State will now sell alcohol at sporting events for Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum, according to an announcement by Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard on June 22.
Here’s what fans need to know:
What types of alcohol will be available for purchase at Iowa State sporting events?
Beer, wine and pre-packaged ready-to-drink cocktails will be offered for sale.
Guests must be 21 or older to purchase alcoholic beverages and must provide legal identification. Fans will be limited to two alcoholic beverages, per person, for every sales transaction.
Alcoholic beverages will be sold in the north and south expanded gate areas and the north and south concourses.
To reduce pedestrian foot traffic and prevent additional congestion, the drinks will not be sold at the permanent concession stands in the east and west concourses. However, there will be a limited number of portable concession locations that will feature alcohol sales on the east and west concourses.
There will be no in-seat alcohol sales. In addition, there will be no points of sale for alcohol near or at the student sections in both Hilton Coliseum and Jack Trice Stadium.
Why did Iowa State decide to add alcohol to its concessions?
Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard set the stage at the start of his letter to fans which announced the decision, citing financial pressures from increasing costs.
“Iowa State is not immune to the challenges or to the financial strain,” Pollard stated. “Over the past year, we have worked closely with university leadership to identify new cost containment measures and increased revenue streams through ticket sales and donations, sponsorship and licensing, and new opportunities to host events in our athletic facilities (concerts, state high school championships, etc.).
“Additionally, we have studied and analyzed the prospect of alcohol sales at Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum during athletic events. Many of our peers have successfully taken this step. We are confident that we can initiate the sale of alcohol throughout our facilities and ensure a positive and safe environment for all of our guests.”
Iowa State made the decision to sell alcohol with campus administrative leaders.
According to a 2023 survey by the Associated Press, 80% of Division I power-conference schools were selling alcohol in the public areas of their stadiums.
How much is Iowa State projected to make in alcohol sales?
According to Chris Jorgensen, Iowa State senior athletics director for finance and operations, the university is projecting $1 million in revenue from alcohol for the 2027 fiscal year.
Jorgensen said an estimated 80% to 90% of alcohol sales will be at Jack Trice Stadium. Football crowds are expected to drive a majority of the sales.
Although Iowa State didn’t sell alcohol at sporting events, it had alcohol available for sale at recent concerts hosted at Jack Trice Stadium.
In 2024, Iowa State reported $362,000 in net alcohol sales from the George Strait concert.
Back in April, Iowa State reported $427,218 in net alcohol sales from a Luke Combs concert. Jack Trice Stadium is slated to hold another concert in July headlined by Jelly Roll and Post Malone.
Iowa State officials studied recent concert alcohol sales, as well as input from peer institutions and Levy Restaurants, to help guide its decision to introduce alcohol sales at athletic events.
A portion of the net proceeds from the sale of all alcoholic beverages will support alcohol education, student wellness programming, and public safety enhancements.
How will alcohol sales impact the game day experience?
Citing safety precautions, Iowa State will no longer allow fans to leave and re-enter Jack Trice Stadium at any point of the game.
The shift in procedure will affect the longtime tailgate-oriented tradition. For many years, fans capitalized on the opportunity to meander over to the tailgate lots during halftime and return to finish the game. Pollard told the Register that approximately 4,000 fans leave and re-enter Jack Trice Stadium each week.
Alcohol will not be permitted on the grass hillsides or the Junior Cyclone Club areas. There will be designated stop times for the sale of alcoholic beverages during games.
Current fan alcohol policies at the Jack Trice Club, Sukup Endzone Club, suites, Johnny’s, Champion’s Club and other hospitality areas remain intact.
Are other Division I colleges selling alcohol at sporting events in Iowa?
Iowa State joins the rest of its Division I peers throughout the state, becoming the last of the in-state quartet to sell alcohol at athletic events.
In 2018, Drake became the first Division I school in the state of Iowa to offer arena-wide sales of alcohol for men’s and women’s basketball games at the Knapp Center. The university added beer sales at Drake Stadium for home football games starting with the 2021 season.
Northern Iowa followed suit in 2019 by adding alcohol to its concessions lineup for football and men’s basketball games at the UNI-Dome and McLeod Center.
Iowa started selling alcohol at athletic events for the 2021-22 academic year. Beer and wine were available for purchase by fans throughout Kinnick Stadium, Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Duane Banks Field and Bob Pearl Field.
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What to know about Iowa State selling alcohol at Cyclone events
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
