The University of Minnesota Board of Regents today approved the sale of beer and wine to suiteholders at TCF Bank Stadium, slated to open in fall 2009.

It was a surprisingly contentious issue: some local columnist had positioned the issue as a class distraction, where the haves in the suites were allowed to drink and the have-nots in the seating bowl not. At least one season-ticket holder canceled their annual commitment over the issue, but given that season tickets for the new Golden Gophers stadium had been sold out now for several months, it's a drop in the bucket.

The real issue, according to University officials: they wanted to prevent beer sales to the minors -- i.e., Minnesota students -- attending games. And that should be the lesson to take away from this: on-campus football is meant for the students, not for 70-year-old alumni.

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