Actually, beer is not a very big factor at all. Husker fans like to throw that barb out, but if you canvassed the arena, a very small percentage of people are drinking.
I have a beer every now and then, but when I do, I only have one and it has no bearing on whether or not I would attend. The beer is nice, don't get me wrong, and I really like that it is served there, but if it wasn't, it would have about a zero impact on my attendance.
Beer is $6.00 each. It isn't cheap. You aren't going to get drunk at a Creighton game unless you are ubber wealthy and don't mind simply throwing money away. The drunk people that I've encountered at the Qwest Center, almost always, got their snootful before the game at a local tavern. I've seen by percentage, more drunk people at Nebraska basketball games than Creighton.
All things being equal, most people on this board wish that beer could be served at their games, it is a nice spiff, and those that oppose beer at college basketball games would be surprised to find out how few people get loaded when the cost is prohibitive.
The truth about alcohol sales is this, the NCAA is so hypocritical. They deny colleges making a few bucks off of beer sales, yet sell broacasting rights to CBS, who in turn, sell beer ads. The NCAA loves the money they get via beer ads sold by CBS, but by God, no member institutions with on campus arenas should have the opportunity to cash in! Does anyone really think the March madness contract would be nearly what it is now if the NCAA had the stones to prohibit beer ads as a condition of broadcast rights???