TEAM Editorial April 2025 -

There is no shortage of evidence that underage drinking and binge drinking are problems in this country. So why has there been a decade-long trend of serving alcohol at college sports? Doesn’t increased access result in even more abuse?

The important thing to consider when answering these questions is the system of incentives and checks and balances in place for alcohol access at college sports. Picture endless rows of cars in a parking lot outside a football stadium with tents, tables, chairs, BBQ pits, gourmet food and a display of beer and liquor that would rival any sports bar you have visited. In this scene there are thousands of people of all ages enjoying the pre-game excitement, fresh air, and unlimited access to alcohol.

““Success is not just about winning games; it’s about creating an environment that makes fans want to come back time and time again.”

— Kris Armes, Aramark,
Director of Collegiate Athletics

Now picture a company filing for a liquor license, hiring and training alcohol servers. In this scene, guests must pay for each transaction after proving they are over 21 by showing a valid ID and presenting themselves in such a way as to not raise any concerns from the employee who has been trained to spot signs of impairment. It is not difficult to see which picture paints a more responsible result from an alcohol management perspective.

Serving alcohol creates the necessary control to prevent the kind of alcohol abuse that is too often seen on Greek row or tailgate parties on college campuses across the country.

“Recognizing the importance of ensuring a safe environment at our sporting events, we proactively partnered with TEAM Coalition back in 2011 to train our game day staff — even before alcohol was sold at our venues – with the understanding that many attendees arrived having consumed varying levels of alcohol.”

— Michelle Fabrizio, Associate Athletics Director,
Operations and Events at University of Michigan

TEAM Coalition (https://teamcoalition.org) provides these controls in the form of a long list of reasonable efforts that support responsible alcohol service for college sports. TEAM training is utilized by more than 130 sports and entertainment venues across North America. In 2024, the 11,448 employees of 36 colleges and universities represented one-fourth of the total number of employees certified. The 2024 number represented a 78% increase over 2023. Click here to view the three-year history of TEAM training with NCAA institutions.

One of the factors that differentiates TEAM training from other alcohol service training programs is TEAM’s belief that alcohol management is a full-facility challenge. Every employee in the building, including those that do not serve alcohol, is another set of eyes and ears to ensure alcohol is being served responsibly and that guests are drinking responsibly. 18% of all NCAA-venue employees who were TEAM-certified last year work for the university, not the liquor license holding concessionaire company.

In 2024, the University of Michigan TEAM-certified 924 employees, more than any other university. Alcohol service was introduced on the University of Michigan campus in February of 2024 at Yost Ice Arena and the Crisler Center. Michigan Stadium started serving alcohol in August of 2024.

“Recognizing the importance of ensuring a safe environment at our sporting events, we proactively partnered with TEAM Coalition back in 2011 to train our game day staff — even before alcohol was sold at our venues – with the understanding that many attendees arrived having consumed varying levels of alcohol,” explained Michelle Fabrizio, Associate Athletics Director, Operations and Events at University of Michigan. “As we introduced alcohol sales, we knew it was crucial to re-engage with TEAM Coalition. We expanded our training to include not only our event staff but also select full-time members of the Athletic Department to ensure heightened awareness and support across all levels. To date, six of our full-time team members have become certified trainers, and we’ve collaborated with TEAM Coalition to develop an online training program. This initiative complements our in-person sessions, helping us achieve our goal of 100% training for all game day staff. It’s all part of our commitment to creating a secure and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.”

On the concessionaire side, Aramark (the industry leader serving 21 NCAA sports venues and power conference schools) certified more than 7,100 employees at 17 schools in 2024 in the TEAM alcohol management program.

Aramark is the concessionaire for seven of the ten universities with the most TEAM-certified concessions employees in 2024.

“Success is not just about winning games; it’s about creating an environment that makes fans want to come back time and time again,” said Kris Armes, Aramark’s Director of Collegiate Athletics. “We are helping transform the collegiate game day experience by elevating operations, enhancing fan engagement, and prioritizing guest safety. A key part of that commitment is ensuring responsible alcohol service through consistent training at all college accounts — training we deliver in partnership with TEAM Coalition.”

Aramark’s dedication to this standard is further underscored by the leadership of Kevin Tedesco, Aramark Resident District Manager at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, who currently serves as board chair for TEAM Coalition. That leadership helps ensure the same standards of safety and hospitality seen at professional venues are reflected across Aramark’s college sports partnerships.

“America’s beer and beverage distributors are proud to partner with TEAM Coalition and their important training initiatives to help venues serve alcohol responsibly, allowing all fans and guests to enjoy themselves.”

— Craig Purser, President and CEO,
National Beer Wholesaler Association

Universities and concessionaires are not the only organizations committed to responsible alcohol service. The beer industry sees the value of responsible alcohol service that comes from embracing what TEAM Coalition offers. Craig Purser, President and CEO of the National Beer Wholesalers Association explains, “America’s beer and beverage distributors are committed to promoting responsible alcohol consumption for legal drinking age adults. By ensuring choice and variety, along with responsible marketing and merchandising, distributors play a critical role in supporting a safe and orderly alcohol marketplace. NBWA is proud to partner with TEAM Coalition and their important training initiatives to help venues serve alcohol responsibly, allowing all fans and guests to enjoy themselves.”

It is a simple concept. By serving alcohol, universities and concessionaires have much greater control over alcohol consumption. The effort involved in keeping a profitable liquor license in good standing is exactly how to minimize underage drinking and binge drinking. Through TEAM training, venue alcohol policies are developed, communicated, and enforced. Employees learn how to identify signs of impairment and absorption rate factors. Intervention guidelines, ID checking, state-specific regulations and documentation are all part of the training program. TEAM training works. It has been a staple in professional sports venues since the early 1990s, with more than 1,000,000 certification records in the TEAM training database.

Underage drinking and binge drinking are serious public health concerns. Preventing (or at least reducing) the prevalence of both issues will only come from creating the right incentives and implementing the right controls. As more and more colleges and universities pursue alcohol service for sporting events, they will benefit greatly by learning from those who have gone before. Successful introduction of alcohol service and long-term alcohol management come from preparation and setting limits to that access. It is beyond time to acknowledge that unlimited access to alcohol, often seen at fraternity houses and tailgate parties, is unquestionably the wrong approach.

*Martinez, J., Rutledge, P., & Sher, K. (2007). Fake ID ownership and heavy drinking in underage college students: Prospective findings. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 21(2), 226-232 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2711502/)

**Krieger, H., Young , C., Anthenien, A., & Neighbors, C. (2018). The Epidemiology of Binge Drinking Among College-Age Individuals in the United States. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6104967/)