With underage drinking a problem on campuses, the SECs vote to allow alcohol sales at football games is a classic example of putting profit before principle.
A cardinal rule of parenting is you must walk the walk. Dont tell kids not to do something and then do it yourself.
That stumbling sound last week was the Southeastern Conference trying to walk a fine line on drinking alcohol. The league put profit over principle and voted to lift a ban on serving alcohol at sporting events.
Booze was already available in restricted areas like skyboxes. High-brow fans could drink up but the great unwashed could not. Now itll be up to individual schools whether to serve beer and wine in public areas.
Florida is pondering what to do. You can bet your autographed Steve Spurrier visor the Gators will open the taps.
Proponents say the new policy will actually cut down on drinking problems. Take that with a grain of margarita salt.
The real justification is money. Schools stand to rake in millions of dollars, and they need every penny to keep the Sports-Industrial Complex growing.
Its almost too easy to rip the SECs decision. Before I hop on that soapbox, a little perspective is called for.
Most fans can handle their booze, though you might disagree if youve ever spent a Sunday afternoon in NFL end zone seats. Either way, people are going to drink.
We tried Prohibition and it didnt work. But we also tried legalized drinking at age 18, and that didnt work.
Even though most college students are under 21, campuses still have severe drinking problems. Alcohol contributes to an average of 1,519 student deaths annually, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The study was based on alcohol-related incidents from 1998 to 2014. It found that alcohol also played a role in 696,000 assaults and 97,000 cases of sexual assault.
College administrators realize selling booze sends a mixed message, and many anguish over the position theyre in. But academia has been swept up in the athletics arms race of TV deals, $6-million-a-year coaches and recruiting enticements.
Its not cheap putting 43-inch video monitors above every players locker, as Texas did.
Selling alcohol is a great way to make money, Dr. Toben Nelson said, especially if someone else picks up the tab for the negative consequences.
Hes an associate professor at the University of Minnesota who has studied alcohol addiction and sports. Only a handful of colleges sold alcohol a dozen years ago.
