Husker baseball and softball fans could enjoy a cold beer as they take in a game at Haymarket Park as soon as next Friday night.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider approving the sale of alcohol at the Huskers’ home baseball and softball games at its April 19 meeting, according to an agenda published Friday morning.
If the board approves — regents have already authorized beer and liquor sales at men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling and women’s bowling — the taps at Haymarket Park will be flowing when Maryland comes to Lincoln.
In addition to a three-game homestand against the Terps, the Huskers will play at home for 12 of their remaining 19 games in the 2024 regular season.
The Husker softball team will compete at home five more times after April 19.
Interim NU President Chris Kabourek, who will recommend the sale of alcohol for regents’ approval, said the move is “about improving the fan experience.”
“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 almost all of our peers offer,” Kabourek said in a statement.
No major alcohol-related incidents have occurred since the NU board lifted a 1999 prohibition on alcohol sales at Husker events in February 2022 on a 7-0 vote.
In its place, the board opted to give the NU system president the authority to allow for beer and liquor to be sold at Husker games on a case-by-case basis.
Since then, the board has approved the sale of alcohol at the 2022 Big Ten Wrestling Championships held at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Regents also signed off on a two-year trial for men’s and women’s basketball games.
NU has also allowed for beer sales at Memorial Stadium during the Garth Brooks concert in 2022, as well as for the record-breaking crowd at Volleyball Day in Nebraska held last August.
At the time, Kabourek called it “a tool that’s required if we’re going to compete.”
Fans have long expected Haymarket Park, which has had the infrastructure in place to sell beer and other drinks for more than two decades as the home of the Lincoln Saltdogs, would make a logical choice for alcohol sales for Husker games.
But a hangup in revenue sharing between NU and NEBCO Inc., which owns the Saltdogs, put the potential move by regents in jeopardy earlier this month.
The university offered NEBCO a 50-50 split in revenue from alcohol sales; NEBCO wanted 90% of the profits, which is what the university provides to the city of Lincoln through its deal with Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Kabourek and new Husker athletic director Troy Dannen reached an agreement with NEBCO, which will funnel the revenue from the sale of alcohol into capital improvements around Haymarket Park.
Dannen called the agreement with NEBCO “a win for our fans, Husker Athletics and the University of Nebraska.” Both he and Kabourek thanked Jack and Jim Abel and the NEBCO team.
“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,” Dannen said.
Husker baseball and softball fans may be able to enjoy a cold beer when they take in a game at Haymarket Park if the University of Nebraska Board of Regents gives its approval next week.