Ohio State Director of Athletics and Vice President Gene Smith's been around the block a few times. He's seen the seemingly continuous changes evident across collegiate athletics, resulting from adaptations to technology, human interest and, lately, student-athlete benefits.
Smith and Ohio State took another step away from the idealism of amateur athletics Friday, when they announced beer and wine would be part of gameday menus in the suites and club level seating as part of a pilot program at Ohio Stadium this fall.
"The idea of trying a pilot program really came more from studying what other schools are doing," Smith said Friday.