Louisiana college sports venues could soon be forced to accept cash

Cashless concession stands at college football stadiums could soon be a thing of the past under a bill advancing in the Louisiana Legislature. 

The House Education Committee Tuesday advanced House Bill 5 by Rep. Charles Owen, R-Rosepine, that would require public colleges and universities to accept cash at events, including sporting events. The bill passed on a 11-2 vote, with Reps. Barbara Freiberg, R-Baton Rouge, and Kim Carver, R-Mandeville, opposing the bill. 

Most college sporting venues have gone cashless in the past few years, inconveniencing some attendees, primarily teenagers and older fans who primarily rely on cash in their day-to-day lives. 

“We have these big events where families may have to save up a lot of money to go get a ticket to go to a ballgame or to a concert or to a speaking event or something like that… but when they get there they want to buy some water or a hamburger or a T-shirt, and they can’t use their cash,” Owen told committee members. 

Some universities have raised concerns with the bill. 

Lenny Kopowski, a lobbyist representing the University of New Orleans Foundation, said UNO opposes the bill. 

Kopowski said UNO athletics switched to cashless facilities after somebody stole $3,600 in cash from the athletic department. The university would consider withdrawing its opposition to the bill if it permitted just some concession stands to accept cash or instead required reverse ATMs, which allow somebody to deposit cash and receive a temporary debit card. Such ATMs are common at professional sports venues that are cashless. 

LSU reported in a fiscal note that Owen’s bill could lead to a $75,000 annual loss of revenue for its third-party game day vendors and could slow down concession lines. 

Owen’s bill will next be discussed by the full House of Representatives.

— The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized.