UK Athletics begins alcohol sales at baseball home opener

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - A major change for UK athletics today for the baseball home opener. For the first time, Kentucky Proud Park served alcoholic beverages.

It was a win for Kentucky Baseball Tuesday, during their home opener against Evansville. And the crowd was excited for more reasons than one.

The first home win of the season and the first UK Athletics event where alcohol was sold.

“I think what’s part of it is for football and basketball in the future. So hopefully, they’ll see the numbers. If you’re selling alcohol, more fans will show up,” said baseball fan John Michael Frey.

This is the start of a pilot program. Alcoholic beverages, including beer and seltzer, will be sold at baseball and softball home games this season.

The Southeastern Conference started permitting alcohol sales in 2019. Kentucky Athletics has chosen not to do so until now.

The fans seem to think the idea is a home run.

“I think it makes sense,” said baseball fan Paul Melvin. “I mean, it’s an outdoor sport. Having a beer when it gets nice and hot like it does in Kentucky, would be a good thing for all sports.”

According to UK Athletics, the decision to expand alcohol sales to football games will be made during the summer after they see how the sale goes here.

UK Softball’s first home game is on March 8th.

According to UK, alcohol will stop being sold at the top of the seventh inning during baseball games and the top of the fifth inning during softball.

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