![basketball sales](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/dentonfracking/20141107014646im_/http://parkcitiesblog.dallasnews.com/files/2014/07/basketball-sales.jpg)
SMU started selling beer and wine at arena concession stands in January. The university will expand sales to football games in the fall. (Sarah Hoffman/Dallas Morning News)
Southern Methodist University sold nearly $350,000 of beer and wine at basketball arena concession stands, according to the state comptroller’s office.
The sales figure indicates how much money the university stands to make when it starts to sell alcoholic beverages at football games this fall. SMU plans to kick off beer sales in Ford Stadium concourses at the first home game on Sept. 20 against Texas A&M. Alcoholic beverages are already available in stadium suites.
SMU began offering alcoholic beverages to the general public in January when its newly renovated Moody Coliseum reopened. They sold beer and wine at 13 men’s basketball games. Concession stands sold beer for $6 or $8 apiece and wine for $6 apiece.
Students had to show valid government-issued IDs outside of the arena. They got a wristband with tabs that limited them to three alcoholic beverages.
Nine of the 13 campus games sold out, SMU athletics spokesman Brad Sutton said. The games drew a higher turnout because of the team’s success, but Sutton said fans also appreciated the new amenity.
SMU sold nearly $650,000 of all concessions — including beer, wine and food during the 13 games, he said.
SMU is one of several universities looking to beer and wine sales as a potential revenue stream and way to draw fans to games. University of North Texas recently announced that it will sell beer to the general public at its football stadium in the fall. It previously sold beer in the stadium’s club and suite levels.