Wisconsin Falls Behind Minnesota In College Football Booze Sales, Report Finds

MADISON, WI — Wisconsin football fans are known for their enthusiasm, but a new report shows the Badgers have slipped behind Minnesota when it comes to alcohol sales inside the stadium.

The analysis, published by Extra Points, a college sports business newsletter, found that Wisconsin brought in about $971,781 in alcohol revenue during home football games in August and September.

That placed the Badgers eighth overall among schools that shared their data and fourth among Big Ten programs, trailing Nebraska, Minnesota, and Michigan.

Minnesota, meanwhile, reported roughly $1.04 million in alcohol sales over the same period, good for fourth place nationally, according to the newsletter’s analysis.

The report highlights how universities are increasingly leaning on alcohol sales as a growing source of athletic department revenue. Some schools also license official beers with their logos, generating additional income from retail sales.

Brown noted that comparing schools isn’t always apples to apples because stadium size, attendance, and concessions management vary widely. Wisconsin’s decline this season was attributed partly to lower attendance at Camp Randall Stadium.

He later issued a correction after realizing Wisconsin’s 2024 sales figures were mistakenly used in the initial report. The updated data lowered Wisconsin’s ranking and provided a clearer picture of this season’s numbers.

Here’s how the top 10 programs stacked up, according to Extra Points:

1. Nebraska – $2,074,806
2. Tennessee – $1,623,728
3. LSU – $1,446,698
4. Minnesota – $1,038,759
5. Michigan – $985,266
6. Indiana – $983,394
7. West Virginia – $979,239
8. Wisconsin – $971,781
9. Kentucky – $898,584
10. Illinois – $743,691