ORONO, Maine (WABI) – Maine Black Bears fans will be able to raise the steins this year from the comfort of their seats.
The school is allowing people to have alcohol in the stands for football and hockey games.
Football and hockey have had beer gardens for home games where beverages could be purchased and consumed in a confined area.
There will be alcohol free areas designated throughout the stadiums.
The beer garden will still also operate as it previously had.
The change will go into effect for Maine Football’s game on September 27th, not for the home opener this weekend against Stonehill.
The school says all alcohol sales will conclude at the beginning of the 3rd quarter.
Additional changes coming this year:
Hannaford Kids Zone
Now in its third year of operation, the “Hannaford Kids Zone,” continues to expand with new inflatables, pop-up bounce houses, family-friendly experiences for the kids like face painting, balloon animals and autograph sessions, along with lawn games, football tosses and basketball pop-a-shots for the 2025 season.
Restructured Grandstand/Relocation of Students and Band
The east side grandstand, located behind the visiting team bench, has been condensed and restructured. This will allow for Maine’s VIP and corporate sponsor tents to be relocated to the southeast side of the stadium and positioned to provide fans with better visibility of the game action, with the ability to watch the game just a short distance from the playing surface. With the restructure of the visiting grandstands, the Pride of Maine Black Bear Marching Band and dance team will return to the main grandstand to bring the tradition back to the home sideline. In an effort to enhance the viewing and gameday experience for UMaine students, the student section and student entrance has also been relocated to the main grandstand located on the west side of the stadium near Alfond Arena. All gates to Alfond Stadium will open 60 minutes prior to kickoff.
Concessions Features
UMaine concessions will feature restructured services to reduce wait times and have added new items to the menu, including Italian sausages and French bread pizzas. Concessions will add additional points of sale in the beer garden on Homecoming weekend.
Expanded Pilot Program
To accommodate construction, the beer garden will be relocated back to the south end zone near the main scoreboard. It will be equipped with high-tops and picnic table seating, allowing fans to watch the game while enjoying their favorite beverage in a group social setting. The beer garden will feature a covered tent, upgraded seating options and great views of the action on Morse Field. The beer garden is available to all ticket holders age 21 and older, space permitting, and will be open 60 minutes prior to kickoff.
Commitment to Responsible Service and Safety
All alcohol purchases will be limited to a maximum of two drinks per person at any one time. To ensure responsible service, all serving staff are TIPS-certified (Training for Intervention Procedures) and will work closely with security staff to confirm valid identification. Once identification is verified, patrons will receive a wristband upon entry into each alcohol-purchasing location.
Alcohol-Free Seating Option for Fans
A new ticketing option will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for individuals who want to be seated in an alcohol-free section. Details of the expanded pilot program for Alfond Arena, with plans to be implemented this upcoming season, will be released at a later date.
New Traffic Queue for Vehicles
For game one (Sept. 13), all traffic patterns will remain the same. Season ticket holders will enter campus via Branch Road and non-season ticket holders will enter campus via Long Road. Due to current and future construction projects throughout the campus, non-season ticket holders will be required to enter campus via Rangeley Road off Park Street, starting on Sept. 27. Further traffic details will be released prior to Sept. 27. Season ticket holders will still enter campus via Branch Road. Season ticket holders will be required to show their tailgate parking pass to enter the Freshies Lot.
Bear Necessities Fan Shop Location(s)
During the first two games of the football season, the Bear Necessities Fan Shop at Alfond Arena will be offline due to construction. Pop-up shops inside the gates of Alfond Stadium will allow fans to purchase all of their Black Bear gear for the first two gamedays prior to the new, enhanced Bear Necessities Fan Shop officially opening at Alfond Arena in October.
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