MADISON — If Wisconsin’s disappointing 2025 football season is prompting Badgers fans to drink, they are not doing it at the Camp Randall concession stands. Or at least not at the level that fans did so in 2024.
Camp Randall Stadium alcohol sales are down 19.2% in the first five home games of 2025 when compared to the first five home games of 2024, according to data obtained via an open records request and analyzed by the Journal Sentinel.
Alcohol sales have totaled nearly $1.8 million through the first five games this season, compared to $2.2 million at this point in the home schedule last year. The number of alcohol beverages sold is similarly down 18.7% from 182,386 units through the first five games in 2024 to 148,323 through five games in 2025.
Only one of the five home games this season exceeded $400,000 in alcohol sales, and that was the Iowa game with $426,973. It also has been the only home game to be officially considered a sellout.
Four of UW’s seven home games in 2024, on the other hand, exceeded $400,000 in alcohol sales, and three home games exceeded $500,000. The Badgers finished the 2024 season with nearly $3.1 million in alcohol sales. It was the first year of alcohol sales in general seating areas at Wisconsin, which became the 16th Big Ten school to do so.
Wisconsin’s decrease in alcohol sales coincides with a decrease in fan turnout. UW’s official attendance number is down from 76,057 to 70,745 so far in 2025.
The actual turnout is even lower, as tickets scanned data obtained for the first four home games showed an average of 51,980 fans per game. The Journal Sentinel has not yet obtained the tickets scanned number for the Oct. 18 game against Ohio State.
Wisconsin’s two remaining home games are against Washington on Nov. 8 and against Illinois on Nov. 22. Start times have not been announced yet for either game. As of the morning of Oct. 29, third-party ticket prices on StubHub were as low as $12 for the Washington game and $15 for the Illinois game.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: With fewer Wisconsin fans at Camp Randall, Badgers see drop in alcohol sales so far in 2025
Reporting by John Steppe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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