GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill into law that legalizes the sale of alcohol at college athletic events.
Colleges and universities can apply for liquor licenses at up to five different locations to sell alcohol during athletic events. The administration hopes the law will lead to fewer binge drinking incidents and increase revenue for schools.
“I applaud the Governor for recognizing the inherent fairness issues contained in Senate Bill 247 and her signature on my legislation,” said Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), who sponsored the bill. “It is a basic issue of equality to patrons: why should VIPs get to enjoy the beverage of their choice and other attendees not? This levels the playing field and will allow all patrons 21 and over at intercollegiate sporting events the ability to enjoy the event with an alcoholic beverage if they choose to.”
So what does this mean for colleges and universities in Michigan?
For some, operations will not be impacted much by the new law. Spokesperson Aaron Mills said Central Michigan University has had alcohol licenses on a per-event basis for several years. Moving forward, Mills said the school will now need to apply for a single liquor license. He said only six licenses were applied for in 2022.
At Michigan State University, officials are already making plans to serve alcohol at athletic events in the future. Daniel Olsen issued this statement about the school's efforts:
The university acknowledges the new law. There are a few steps for us to take before we’re able to offer this option at MSU and we are working through some of the logistics related to that. We cannot speak definitively at this time on whether we would be ready by the fall. We are, however, committed to identifying a process by which this can happen, keeping safety and the fan experience in mind.
As for the University of Michigan, officials say no decisions have been made, and discussions into offering alcohol at events are still underway.
Alcohol sales are legal at 11 other Big Ten schools.
To read the full bill, click here.
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