EMU: Beer sales a success despite losing $3,000

An Eastern Michigan official called the one-game test of beer sales at Rynearson Stadium a success, even though it lost about $3,000.

"Yes, the pilot was a success in the fact that it did everything we could have hoped for," Greg Steiner, assistant athletics director for media relations, told the school's Eastern Echo.

The paper reported selling 559 cups of beer in the beer patio at last Saturday's football game against Ball State, grossing about $4,000.

Steiner said the school paid just $878 for the beer but incurred costs of about $7,000 for things such as extra security. There were no known disturbances due to the alcohol consumption.

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"Because it was a pilot program, profit is difficult to calculate, as we had to rent a lot of the items that were required (to) set up the area," Steiner told the Echo. "If we move forward with it in the future, the cost associated with it would be different, as some of the items would be looked at for purchase rather than rental."

But now EMU will assess the test program before deciding whether there will be more rounds of beer sales at football games.

"We will not be selling for Army this weekend, and we are not anticipating selling at any other games this season," Steiner said.

Contact Steve Schrader: sschrader@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @schradz.