Kroger Field continues alcohol prohibition for fans outside of luxury suites

Mitch Barnhart is keeping beers out of the hands of Kentucky football fans at Kroger Field. Well, unless you have a lot of money to afford seats in luxury suites. Then it’s perfectly acceptable to consume alcohol and watch Kentucky football.

In 2019 the SEC lifted a lengthy alcohol-embargo preventing the sale or purchase of alcohol in the general seating areas of athletic events. Fans previously could only consume alcohol in the luxury suite areas of football stadiums and basketball arenas.

Since the conference changed its rules, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Kentucky are the final four institutions prohibiting stadium-wide alcohol sales during football games. Auburn baseball and basketball fans are fortunate enough to enjoy a cocktail during the action, but not at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Adam Luckett asked Mitch Barnhart Saturday if he will be changing this policy ahead of the upcoming Kentucky football season. He delicately said, “No.”

“We’ve got a great atmosphere where we are,” said Barnhart. “That’s a short conversation today. I knew that somewhere along the way we’d get to it on my other 94 notes here. We’re where we are. We’re sort of in the same situation we’ve been in. We’ve got a great atmosphere. We sold 43-44,000 season tickets, we’ve got some visitors that will be coming in, we’ve got an 8-game home schedule and feel pretty comfortable with what we got going on.”

Barnhart made a rare appearance with the media to de-escalate a public feud between his football and basketball coaches that all started with a plea for improved facilities. Facilities cost money. Stadium-wide beer sales make money. Texas A&M grossed $2.4 million in its first season of stadium-wide beer sales. You can’t build a Kroger Field on an empty beer cans, but you can put a dent in the $25 million budget for a new indoor football and track facility.

Will Chris Rodriguez play at Kroger Field?

Star Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez might miss some playing time this season, but who is it up to? Mitch Barnhart provided no clarity on C-Rod’s situation but did share that he will have some input on how many games Rodriguez may miss at Kroger Field.

“We’re working our way through that,” he said. “It’ll be a collective decision.”