For the first time in the post-COVID-19 era, basketball games at UCCS have concessions. Operated by Dining and Hospitality, they reopened for the first home game of the season in November 2024.
Students can purchase candy, drinks, chips and nachos at the concession stand near the Gallogly Event Center’s entrance. Item prices range from $2 to $6 plus tax. The stand opens 30 minutes prior to tipoff of the women’s basketball game and closes 20 minutes before the end of the men’s basketball game.
Heather Sutton, assistant athletic director of internal operations, said the goal of reintroducing concessions was to “get back to the normal sports experience.” Sutton hopes that consistent concessions at basketball encourages more students to attend the games. “They provide a great service. We think it’s a great value to the experience for athletics,” Sutton said.
Sutton said that getting concessions back at campus sports venues has been discussed since COVID-19 forced them to close in 2020. Barriers to the return of concessions included increased food safety regulations from the pandemic and staff availability in dining and hospitality.
Assistant Director of Dining Operations Jeremy Anderson said the concessions stand is funded by its sales. “It should be self-sufficient,” he said. The stand is staffed by students and dining professionals.
Bringing concessions to other campus sporting venues is a constant point of discussion between athletics and dining and hospitality, but Anderson said other sporting venues on campus provide challenges, like coordinating power and water for outdoor venues
Student demand is another determining factor for which sports get concessions. “That’s why we decided to go with just basketball. We knew that there was the demand,” Anderson said. “Then, build the program from there based on what happens with [basketball].”
With the final home basketball games on March 1, Sutton said, “Our hope is to have some kind of concession available to spectators for baseball.” The baseball team has their first home games from Feb. 21 to Feb. 23, and RMAC play begins at home March 7.
The concessions stand in Gallogly Events Center on Feb. 19. Photo by Taylor Villalpando.