Pat Hobbs, Rutgers University athletic director, has apologized after a video surfaced showing him drinking a beer at a tailgate party that was sponsored by the university.
In the video, you can see Hobbs being handed a beer as he says, “No, I can’t drink that right now,” Sports Illustrated noted.
The crowd then started to chant for Hobbs to drink the beer. Hobbs then proceeded to sip the beer, saying “I am of age. If they card me, I’m OK. All right, go RU.”
Hours after the video was released, Hobbs apologized for his actions, telling NJ Advance Media that he was trying to control the atmosphere of the tailgate party, which was getting a little out of hand, NJ.com noted.
“My first concern is always for the safety and well-being of our students,” Hobbs said, according to NJ.com. “Anyone who was at the (student tailgate) Saturday knows that I was acting to ensure that.”
The school-sponsored tailgate was a new event for the Big 10 school. Its debut brought out nearly 3,000 students, according to NJ.com, and it was held at a location the school refers to as “The Alley.” According to Sports Illustrated, “The Alley” is a lot located about 400 yards from RU’s football stadium.
The student tailgate even will be suspended for the remainder of the season, The New York Daily News noted.
“Regrettably, due to safety concerns, The Alley is no longer available for student tailgating,” the school said on Twitter.