University of Georgia

SEC votes to allow alcohol sales in general seating; UGA will review policy

ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 18: Hairy Dawg leads Georgia Bulldogs fans in the fourth quarter cheer during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Sanford Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

ATHENS, Ga. — The Southeastern Conference president and school chancellors voted Friday to allow schools to set their own alcohol sales policies.

“Our institutions will have autonomy in how alcohol is made available under certain conference-wide expectations,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Friday at the SEC spring meetings. “There’s no expectations that anyone make alcohol available beyond clubs and suites.”

Sankey indicated the vote was not unanimous, saying, “There were different opinions in the room.”

Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity told DawgNation on Friday the UGA administration will review its policies and consider options before finalizing any decisions on whether or how alcohol will be distributed in Sanford Stadium.

“We’ll take this information and discuss internally and externally and make decisions,” McGarity said. “There’s obviously a lot more to it.”

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There has been no indication Georgia will change its current policy, based on comments Thursday from UGA President Jere Morehead.

“I think we’ve got it right at UGA,” said Morehead, in his seventh year as school president, “so I don’t see us making any significant changes.”

Morehead said Georgia is open “to review” following Friday’s league vote.

But even if Georgia was to decide to institute a change in its stadium alcohol sales policy, it could take time to implement. McGarity pointed out that Sanford Stadium is currently not set up for general seating alcohol sales from a distribution standpoint.

DawgNation contributed to this report.