House Bill 4328 and Senate Bill 247 were introduced two weeks ago and haven’t been passed yet. But that didn’t stop Western Michigan University’s Board of Trustees from approving a request from Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae on Thursday. He wants to apply to the state liquor commission for expanded alcohol sales at WMU’s five home football games.
“In fact,” Bartholomae told the board, “if approved, we would be the last MAC school to offer beer and wine sales in general seating areas.”
We asked the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) if Michigan’s public colleges and universities can sell alcohol at sporting events. In an email, LARA Director of Communications Abby Rubley said, “yes and no.”
There’s no general ban that prevents public institutions from selling alcohol. But Rubley said in the statement, the law “prohibits the Commission from issuing a liquor license on state owned land. Public university property is considered state owned land."
There are several exemptions to that. Universities can and often do apply for up to twelve one-day liquor licenses per year. These licenses are for nonprofits, and public universities are nonprofits. That’s why sports fans have been able to buy alcohol in general seating at Central Michigan University football games since 2022. And at Eastern Michigan games since 2019. It’s why Western Michigan University’s board of trustees approved the plan last week to sell alcohol in general seating at the Broncos’ five home football games in 2023.
So, why change the law if they can do it already?
If the bills pass, then college athletic facilities will no longer be prohibited from getting a tavern or class C liquor license on state owned property. That would allow them to apply for up to three licenses for more permanent locations in college athletic venues. And it would cover whole seasons, not just for football, but for basketball and hockey games too.
Michigan’s public colleges and universities could save those one-day licenses for other things, like the two one-day liquor licenses WMU has requested for the 58th International Congress of Medieval Studies, which happens on May 11 and runs through May 13.
