Earlier this morning, University officials submitted a request to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for a public venue license for the Bryce Jordan Center. Under the license, which would be enacted for a concert at the BJC in April, beer and wine sales would be allowed. This represents a sort of pilot program for the PLCB and Penn State, as currently only Medlar Field at Lubrano Park sells alcohol on campus.

According to the release, the only events under consideration for this type of arrangement are non-University events such as concerts. David Gray, the senior vice president for Finance and Business/Treasure, said, “[We] consider this a way to provide an opportunity for the safe, responsible enjoyment of adult beverages to of-age patrons at select events. Being able to serve beer and wine to adult patrons gives the Jordan Center a competitive advantage in the concert marketplace.”

In line with that, there will be tight security measures, as well as a high level of scrutiny on the April event, to go along with certified training in the service and sale of alcohol. If the application is approved, the results from this event will be used to see if the University will renew the license.

As it stands, alcohol service will not be provided during University-sponsored BJC events, or for events that cater more specifically to younger patrons and those under the legal drinking age. Sadly, your dream of drinking at the Insect Fair will have to be put on hold. The current setup would also bar service at Penn State athletic events, so you’ll need to go elsewhere to get the necessary couple of beers to make Penn State basketball watchable.

However, it would be fair to speculate that, if this program proves successful in its first iteration and future ones as well, it could open the door for sporting events in some capacity. It’s probably a long shot to expect alcohol service at Penn State sporting events in the near future, although allowing it would probably cut down on heavy pregames and the like, but you never know.

Though merely speculation, talk around Penn State getting the NHL’s Winter Classic, pitting the Penguins and Flyers against each other in Beaver Stadium, has thought to be halted in part due to the lack of alcohol sales. If you’d like to see something like that — and really, who wouldn’t? — make sure you drink responsibly at that upcoming April event, ensuring the success of this experiment. Then maybe we’ll see some outdoor hockey in the House That Joe Built.