A recent South Carolina law has required the creation of a new tailgating policy on the sale and consumption of alcohol among students attending athletic events.

This law, effective on Aug. 29, 2025, introduced multiple regulations on college stadiums selling alcohol. According to S.C. Revenue Procedure #25-2, vendors are prohibited from selling beer or wine to students who cannot provide a horizontal ID. Vendors also must use verifying technology to make sure that IDs are valid. 

Before being allowed to sell alcohol, employees must undergo training on how to use these technologies and recognize signs of intoxication to know when to stop serving drinks. The university itself must perform compliance checks throughout the game to make sure IDs are being scanned correctly and vendors are not overserving. Selling alcohol in areas designated as student sections is also prohibited, though this does not apply to any of the venues on campus. 

In order to comply with this law, Furman has slightly modified its previous tailgating policy. Students may still access the Champions Grove tailgate area with a valid student ID, but if they plan to purchase their own alcoholic beverages, they must present a horizontal ID that will be verified by a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division-approved forensic scanner. No vertical IDs will be accepted regardless of their validity, and Furman student IDs will not be accepted as a form of identification. These changes will take effect in Paladin Stadium, the newly renovated Timmons Arena and other athletics venues which serve alcohol. 

Previously, there was no legislation addressing alcohol served specifically at college athletic venues. Stadiums could sell alcohol if they obtained a license to do so, but if laws were broken, they would face the same penalties as a restaurant or bar. While scaling up the penalty to reflect a stadium capacity, this new law also attempts to help regulate purchases as more universities across South Carolina begin to open sales to fans and students. 

According to Deputy Athletics Director Erin Mays, the new policy is expected to promote responsibility and boost student safety at athletic events, as the changes introduce measures to prevent underage alcohol consumption and alert salespeople for signs of intoxication. 

“Student safety is expected to benefit from stronger safeguards around alcohol service,” Mays said. “Together, these measures promote a more responsible and controlled environment at events where alcohol is present, helping to protect students and fans and reduce the risk of alcohol-related incidents.”