Should UNI sell beer at sporting events?

(Photo: Matthew Putney, Matthew Putney/AP)A familiar set of financial issues greeted David Harris when he was introduced as Northern Iowa’s athletic director in February.

The Panthers’ most-high profile programs — football and men’s basketball — consistently finish among the Missouri Valley Conference elite. But revenue potential is limited without a blockbuster television contract, which has become a windfall for Big 12 and Big Ten members.

As a result, Harris’ department relies on outside money to balance its budget and has to constantly explore new ways to boost the bottom line.

That’s when an ice-cold beer might come to mind — not as a beverage of the moment, but an untapped source of…