Iowa Athletics makes millions off of alcohol sales

Hunter
06/07/22

It was a good year for Iowa Athletics, both from the team and from the alcohol revenue-stream point of view.

The Gazette reports that the department made a cool $3 million from alcohol sales after sales tax in their first full year of selling alcohol at games.

Most of the revenue, not surprisingly, came from Kinnick Stadium sales during spring practice and home football games. In fact, sales during the September 4th game against Indiana, the October 9th game against Penn State and the October 16th game against Purdue generated more alcohol sales than any sport had in their entire season.

Alcohol revenue from football games totaled $2.4 million; men’s basketball earned nearly $339,000; wrestling matches earned over $180,000, and over $77,000 from women’s basketball games.

Baseball, softball and gymnastics still need to add revenue from May contests, and stand at less than $21,000 in alcohol revenue.

About $340,000 of the profits will go toward what an athletics department  document described as “research-based initiatives developed and supported by the UI Alcohol Harm Reduction Committee.”

This school year was the first to allow alcohol sales to the general public; it was previously only available in suites or premium seating areas.

The Gazette got the information from a public records request.