Knoxville Targets Beer Sales At Neyland Stadium For Fans Being Too Rowdy

Knoxville is coming after beer sales at Neyland Stadium during Tennessee football games.

The city is going after the vendor responsible for sales - Aramark - after there were three cases of underage sales and "general 'disorderly' conduct" on game days, according to USA Today. The city wants to suspend alcohol sales for three home games next season.

Knoxville officials are claiming that Aramark is not just responsible for slinging ice cold beer during UT games. The city believes the company is also for the behavior of fans who consume alcohol at Neyland Stadium, according to the same report

Are Tennessee fans pushing the limits with alcohol? The city of Knoxville is targeting beer sales at Neyland stadium. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)

The vendor filed a motion to strike parts of the complaint on the grounds that the alcohol company has no jurisdiction or control within the stadium. Knoxville officials claim that the vendor's excuse doesn't fly.

Not having jurisdiction "does not absolve them for responsibility for the premises in which their patrons are drinking" in the eyes of Knoxville officials, according to the same USA Today report.

Should alcohol be sold during college football games? Does beer contribute to fans being too rowdy? The city of Knoxville thinks that might be the case. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Does the city of Knoxville's argument make sense?

It's hard to imagine you can really pin a general sense of renegade attitudes on game days on the Neyland Stadium beer vendor.

Let's think about this logically for a moment. Fans are drinking before games, they're drinking after games and they're likely even sneaking alcohol into games.

Anyone who has ever been to a major college football game knows damn well the boozing doesn't just start in the stadium. Tailgating is a huge part of the college football world, and many people don't do it sober.

Knoxville officials are targeting Neyland Stadium's beer vendor. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Does the city of Knoxville really think three underage sales and a general sense of disorderly behavior can be pinned on Aramark?

When I was at Wisconsin, alcohol sales weren't allowed at all in the stadium, and I can't tell you how many students I saw throw up or pass out. How did it happen? They got blitzed before the game even started. If Knoxville bans alcohol sales at Neyland Stadium, you can bet the house UT students will continue to drink on game days. You're simply ignorant if you think otherwise.

Are Tennessee fans too rowdy because of beer sales? (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Knoxville might want to find a new line of attack because this one doesn't add up. Logically, the dots simply don't connect to pin everything on the stadium beer vendor.