Muleskinner

Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Opinion

Commentary: Pat Clifton [Click to enlarge]

In response to Chris Bennett's opinion about selling beer at ball games, I agree with his stance that beer shouldn't necessarily be sold at every sporting event, but only because there may not be enough demand for it at a track meet, a soccer game or a volleyball match.

I also agree with Bennett in that before beer is sold at ball games, it should be sold at the bowling alley in the Union. It is true that famlies roll their balls down our lanes, but families use bowling alleys everywhere, and beer is sold at most of them, isn't it?

Besides, isn't there a new bowling alley being built across town at the Hawthorne Plaza? Warrensburg citizens will have a choice. Do you really think they'll choose the Elliot Union over a brand new venue?

My opinion for selling beer at ball games has primarily been molded from going to professional sporting events. I've been to Chiefs and Royals games and seen drunken idiots acting like fools in the stands.

I realize the problem and atmosphere it can cause, but if you think students aren't tailgating and getting loaded before they get to games, then you're kidding yourself.

Heck, during the fall, many students use a home football game as an excuse to start drinking sooner than they normally would. My point is, drunk college kids will not be a new sight at UCM sporting events.

I've been to several college sporting events where beer was sold: The CBE classic at the Sprint Center and The Big 12 championship at Arrowhead Stadium. Beer and sports go hand-in-hand no matter what the level.

Many indoor soccer complexes, such as Sports City in Blue Springs and the KC Soccerdome in North Kansas City, have bars in them, and they play host to youth soccer leagues and tournaments for little kids.

Families who go to a UCM sporting event shouldn't have to deal with drunk students, but will the addition of alcohol sales really increase the amount of intoxicated students?

The title of "college student" and the word "poor" are synonymous with each other. How cheap will the beer be at games? If it's anywhere near the price at all the sporting events I've attended, college students won't be able to afford to get drunk.

Continued...

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