USC should allow alcohol at the Coliseum
The prospect of cheering in the stands of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a light at the end of the tunnel for many Trojans amid the chaos of current events. During times like these, the notion of gathering together to celebrate the great traditions of USC football under a warm autumn sun seems like nothing short of paradise.
For some eager fans, the only thing that could possibly improve this daydream is an ice-cold beer.
Unfortunately for them, they won’t find one anywhere on the menu at concession stands in the Coliseum. Since the 2005 season, the sale or possession of alcoholic beverages has been strictly prohibited at the Coliseum during USC football games. Those caught violating this prohibition face the possible consequence of being permanently banned from attending future games.
Prior to that season, students, faculty and other sports fans of legal drinking age were more than welcome to purchase and consume alcohol while they rooted for cardinal and gold. However, insisting that alcohol was to blame for reports of crude behavior at games, then-USC President Steven Sample banned booze from being sold inside of the stadium. This attempt to curtail inebriation at the venue aligned with the Sample administration’s push to reorient University culture around its newly-created moniker: the “Trojan Family.”
The presence of drunk and raucous college students at football games conflicted with the Sample administration’s vision of a wholesome, family-friendly event. Rather than risk the embarrassing possibility of offending potential boosters (or their children) by college students under the influence, the administration eliminated access to alcohol within the Coliseum’s gates — but only for students and the general audience.
Unsurprisingly, the administration’s own luxurious suites and private boxes have continued to be exempt from this policy. Tickets to the Coliseum’s variety of private lounges, suites and boxes include access to premium cocktails and other beverages as a part of the staggering price-tag — an amount which frequently surpasses several thousands of dollars each.
Of course, there are no analogous accommodations in the student section of the Coliseum. Under this policy, USC students who pay to see their classmates compete on the field are not allowed to enjoy the same alcoholic comforts as those privileged enough to have a spot in the Scholarship Club Tower or the Field Suite.
At USC in particular, college football originated as an integral aspect of the undergraduate experience. It was and continues to be a focal point for the community, an avenue through which students could escape from the anxieties of their studies and support their school’s team. While this humble origin has ballooned into the lucrative spectacle that it is today, college football remains an essential part of ordinary life on campus.
As the University continues to ascend in academic prestige and the curricula become increasingly intense, those select autumn Fridays and Saturdays are an ever-more invaluable outlet for students to unwind. At its core, college football — at USC and elsewhere — is played primarily for the enjoyment, entertainment and relaxation of students and fans. By refusing to allow students to drink alcohol as a part of this respite, University administrators continue to demonstrate the prioritization of outside parties — and of their pocketbooks in particular — at the expense of USC students.
Moreover, by exempting themselves from their expectations for others, the administration continues to reinforce a culture of elitist hypocrisy. As a result, the University denigrates those same students whose interests it is supposed to serve. Abolishing this policy and permitting the sale of alcohol to students and other common patrons of the Coliseum would drastically ameliorate the morale of a student body that has consistently been beleaguered.
Besides, let’s face it: After what could eventually amount to months of quarantining, we could all use a drink or two come football season.