Cheers! Beer Available at Montana Griz, Lady Griz Basketball Games

Like Montana Grizzly football games this fall, the basketball programs have an added feature for the general PUBlic.

Dahlberg Arena in the Adams Center now has a beer garden. Now, the term beer garden never implies anything too swanky. But even it may be a bit too opulent a name for the setup. Be that as it may, unlike the restricted arrangement at Washington-Grizzly stadium,  fans can still watch the basketball games while enjoying a cold one.

If you are not familiar with the Adams Center, it has a large section of seating in the upper north level of the arena. This is bleacher seating that never quite made the cut when the facility was remodeled and upgraded some 20 years ago. The bleachers fold back to create a large open space, which is being tested as the beer garden area. The open space features a number of taller tables at which fans can stand and enjoy their beer, while still being able to watch all the action.

The beer garden is open to everyone age 21 and older, and serves until the final 10 minutes of play. Patrons have to stay in the upper north level while drinking.

The only exception to operation of the beer garden is if the Griz or Lady Griz anticipate an overflow crowd, in which case the bleachers would have to be pulled out to accommodate more fans. While both teams enjoy pretty good attendance, only a few games per season require that much seating room in a 7,300-seat facility.

A concern for some fans might be the loss of low-cost general admission seating, which is what the upper level of the north end was. But fans will find the same ticket pricing on the upper halves of several other sections of Dahlberg Arena.

While the beer garden is hardly elbow to elbow so far, a few fans seem to be enjoying the option while cheering on their teams.