I would never say I am opposed to fans “sneaking” liquor into sporting events. With beers in Chicago averaging $7 per beer and wine and mixed drinks priced higher, fans can save themselves a good amount of money brining in their own. In fact, I have used my Bears flask (the Ultimate Sports Wife bought me a few years back) to make myself some rum and cokes or seven and sevens in the upper rows of any ballpark.

Granted I have not “snuck” in any alcohol for awhile (mainly because I forget) and it appears it might be a good thing I have not. In the seat I ended up in last night at the Chicago Blackhawks game (see last post), a guy showed up after the start of the first period and sat in his seat at the end of the row. A few minutes’ later three men in United Center security jackets showed up and said, “Come with us.” I did not hear the following exchange but it ended with “there are cameras all over this place.” And, sure enough, we saw video cameras in the ceiling above us. After the man left to be ejected from the arena, his buddy turned to us and said he did pour a bottle of booze into his drink a few minutes before security showed up.

Now granted, not everyone is going to be caught – last Thursday night at the Chicago Bulls game, a man with his son was drinking canned beer he brought in his backpack. However, that guy was sitting in the front rows of the upper deck and we were sitting in row 14 last night – the difference being that fans may not be as visible in the lower rows from the video cameras. But heed this warning, the United Center police are on the prowl for illegal booze, sticklers to their no alcohol policy and you may end up in United Center “jail”.