Sports

Iowa State Will Fund Rebuild After Mass Exodus By Forcing Football Fans To Buy Expensive Beer

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Iowa State will sell beer at football games starting in 2026.


Iowa State football fans will be able to purchase beer at Jack Trice Stadium this fall. Athletic Director Jamie Pollard announced the change in a recent letter to the school’s supporters.

The move, according to administration, will be used to offset “rapidly increasing costs” in one of the “most transformational periods in the history of college athletics.”

Pollard had previously voiced his opposition of beer sales at sporting events. The NIL landscape has changed his thinking. The Cyclones will hop on board in order to compete with Big 12 rivals.

Iowa State will sell beer.

That goes for both football and basketball games next season. Pollard’s letter to the fanbase can be seen HERE.

As many of you know, we are living in one of the most transformational periods in the history of college athletics. University athletic departments across the country are facing uncertainty and significant financial pressures from rapidly increasing costs.

Iowa State is not immune to the challenges or to the financial strain… Over the past year, we have worked closely with university leadership to identify new cost containment measures and increased revenue streams…

We have studied and analyzed the prospect of alcohol sales at Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum during athletic events. Many of our peers have successfully taken this step. We are confident that we can initiate the sale of alcohol throughout our facilities and ensure a positive and safe environment for all of our guests.

-Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard

The beer sales come with the typical restrictions. ID checks, beverage limits, and designated stop times will apply. One of the most notable changes for Iowa State football fans relates to the ability to leave and re-enter the stadium.

Previously, fans could come and go at their own will. That provided the ability to slam a cheap beer or two at the tailgate during halftime while waiting for the game to resume.

That will no longer be an option. Fans must remain in their seats for the entirety of the contest. Those that leave will be denied re-entry.

If you want to drink during the game, you must buy beer in the stadium. That is a drawback for those looking to save a buck. It’s a win for the university’s athletic programs.

The Cyclones need the money.

Pollard said as much in his letter to fans. The football program is entering a new era following a mass exodus. It needs the funds for a quick rebuild.

Head coach Matt Campbell bolted for Penn State after the 2025 season. Fifty-five players subsequently left the program through the transfer portal. Nearly half followed Campbell to State College.

Iowa State replaced that talent as quickly as possible upon signing new coach Jimmy Rogers, who came from Washington State.

The large majority of incoming transfers hail from the G5 or FCS.

It’s unlikely that the Cyclones will compete for a Big 12 title in Rogers’ first season. They’re currently projected to finish in the cellar of the standings. They’ll need higher level players to achieve consistent success. That starts with NIL.

Beer sales will be used to support those efforts. It’s been proven as a viable revenue stream.

Rival Iowa raked in more than $3 million in its first year selling beer at sporting events. The Hawkeyes topped that number two years later by hitting $3.2 million for football alone.

There are negatives, some of which were on display during Iowa’s loss to Oregon last year. Still, the school reports that alcohol related incidents are down since the introduction of beer sales.

The people of Ames, Iowa like to imbibe. A 24/7 Wall St. list ranks the city as the 19th-drunkest in the US. It tops the list for Big 12 campuses.

Iowa State hopes to profit off of that affinity for boozing. It could have direct impacts on the football rebuild. The beer sales will come at a higher cost for fans, but the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks if the Cyclones produce on the field.