NFL Issues Guidelines on Stadium Beer Sales

A week after bottle-tossing fans disrupted two NFL games, the league directed teams to cut off beer sales at the end of the third quarter.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Saturday that the memo was sent to teams Friday, but added that most teams already were ending beer sales after the third quarter. Only five of the 31 teams had been selling beer in the fourth quarter, Aiello said.

The memo also suggests that beer be poured into cups from bottles and asks teams to identify anyone who throws objects on the field and go after them aggressively in ways ranging from court action to revoking season tickets. And it suggests frequent announcements of the policy as well as the inclusion of the policy in mailings.

The NFL adopted the new alcohol policy after fans at Cleveland and New Orleans disrupted games by tossing bottles onto the field to protest officials’ calls.