OU’s first season of alcohol sales at home football games netted them upwards of $1 million, according to a records request submitted by the OU Daily.
OU racked up $1,587,707.40 in gross sales, and $1,298,738.16 after taxes.
.@GeorgeStoia sent an open records request back in December for the alcohol sales OU home games generated in 2019. On Tuesday we got an answer: $1,298,738.16https://t.co/zjXyPn7nBJ
— Caleb McCourry (@CalebMac21) July 21, 2020
The OU Board of Regents approved the sale of alcohol at football games in May 2019. More than a year later, the decision appears to have been a fruitful one.
That being said, this decision was not one that revolved around finances.
“This idea wasn’t driven by some type of revenue windfall that we might make if we opened it up,” said OU athletics director Joe Castiglione after the Regents meeting in May.
“That’s not what the emphasis is behind this. It was really hearing from fans — quite a few fans — that wanted the opportunity just like they did at a lot of other venues — football, basketball, baseball, whatever it is — throughout the state of Oklahoma as well as places they travel.”
OU’s decision is part of a movement that has been sweeping across college football for the past few seasons.
Among the Big 12, OU is the most recent school to allow alcohol sales, joining Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas and West Virginia.
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