Nebraska baseball fans may soon be able to enjoy alcohol at home games.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents is set vote on the approval of the sale and consumption of alcohol at Haymarket Park home games at its next meeting.
The infrastructure to sell alcohol is already in place at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park as the Lincoln Saltdogs serve alcohol at their games.
NU Interim President Chris Kabourek said in a press release that there haven’t been any significant alcohol-related fan incidents at Husker events such as the men’s and women's basketball games and the 2022 Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Pinnacle Bank Area, as well as Volleyball Day in Memorial Stadium.
“This is about improving the fan experience,” Kabourek said in a press release. “We do not make recommendations related to alcohol lightly, but our teams have shown that we can responsibly provide this amenity that our fans have been asking for and that almost all of our peers offer. I’m very pleased that we have reached this positive outcome with NEBCO and we couldn’t be more grateful to continue the University of Nebraska’s wonderful partnership with the Abel family and the entire NEBCO team.”
New Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen is in favor of the move as well.
“This is a win for our fans, Husker Athletics and the University of Nebraska,” Dannen said in a press release. “Not only does this added fan amenity bring Nebraska in line with national trends, but it gives us an opportunity to make much-needed investments that will make our facilities more competitive. All of us at Husker Athletics thank Jack and Jim Abel and the NEBCO team for their support and partnership and look forward to continuing our strong working relationship.”
The revenue generated from alcohol sales would be reinvested into the Haymarket Park stadium for capital improvements, according to the press release.
If approved by the regents on April 19, it would go into effect immediately.