Drink Sponsorship of Sport

[DrPatrickBarry]

Listed to an interesting debate on RTE (Irish Nation Broadcaster) radio this morning about drink sponsorship of sport, as the Irish government is carrying out a consultation process with a view to banning it. The Irish Olympian Sean Tracy was trying to defend the sponsorship while a medical expert was of the contrary view. Apparently there is very high quality international research that shows younger people are very affected by drink advertising leading to starting drinking and drinking more. Sean was of the opinion that the 25 million a year into Irish sport from drinks companies is critical to supporting those activities, while the expert was saying that 25 million is peanuts compare to the costs incurred by the state due to alcohol abuse. I suppose an obvious solution would be to ban it then the state make up the 25 million instead except the state is skint and that would be an easy cost to cut out.

So is this a sensible consideration or should all the other issues in relation to alcohol abuse (availability, price, drink related road deaths, civil disorder, etc) be tackled first.

Personally I would probably vote to ban the sponsorship.

[molehill]

I too remember consuming vast quantities of beer from my teens onwards, every weekend. But, we had Watneys Red Barrel, Whitbread Tankard, Double Diamond or something equally ghastly and low in alcohol. A standard 8 pint Friday and Saturday night made me sick rather than drunk! Nobody could afford or drank spirits and the wine revolution had not reached the average household, certainly not us. It is mind boggling what youngsters consume now, high alcohol and pretty colours!

[rocksteady]

Agree, the tast of beer and spirits is an acquired one and one that requires you palate to develop a liking ,for but now with all the fruit flavoured drink , no wonder the teens are downing in vast quantities

[dylan]

i was lambasted and had the p taken out of me when i criticized an advertised boozing session on an open club forum,
nobody could see my argument that it is the wrong impression to portray to new and junior members that it is acceptable to train and race hard then get totally wasted.
i still feel that way but am treated as odd.

[IainR]

Agree, the tast of beer and spirits is an acquired one and one that requires you palate to develop a liking ,for but now with all the fruit flavoured drink , no wonder the teens are downing in vast quantities

I think thats a different issue.. and I thought there are rules about alco-pops. I can see that as an issue.

In the US free beer post race is pretty much the norm, even in Europe, after Jungfrau we got a beer, but they have a much healthier relationship.

[Alf]

I will be hoping to pick up a Timothy Taylor T shirt at the Midsummer Madness races

[Rasher]

It's definitely an interesting question!

Looking a bit closer to home Patrick, are any of the current GAA sides sponsored by any drinks companies nowadays? I vaguely remember Antrim were sponsored by Bushmills and the Hurling championship was sponsored by Guinness up until a few years back until Etihad took over, but there may have been a crackdown along the lines you mentioned which I'm unaware of. It is going that way with football in this country so I expect Ireland may have already set the wheels in motion.

I can echo your sentiments about the way of life in rural Ireland. The small town my family hails from has no less than 11 pubs for a population of around 2,000 :w00t:

[noel]

I seem to remember formula 1 was going to close down after they were no longer allowed to paint cars with Marlboro' sponsorship.

Companies will always say they do it for the good of the sport and that without them these sports couldn't go on. It's rubbish of course.

I have mixed feelings on this one. As a free-market libertarian, I am against state intervention. If people are stupid enough to drink and smoke because it's written on a player's shirt, then more fool them.

However, taking a more societal view: if there is evidence that this sort of advertising encourages dangerous drinking, then it should be banned.

Perhaps the compromise of my opposing viewpoints would be to tax it more. That way it offsets the increase cost to society and could fund the counter-advertising that the government would need to do (eg, the "being an alcoholic is not sexy" Irish Derby, or whatever)

[dylan]

i had a big argument over mcdonalds sponsoring the sportshall athletics for youngsters quite a few years ago.
i was viewed as having an eccentric opinion.
it was decided the money was more appreciated than the negative health impact of there product.
still does not sit right in my mind.

[DrPatrickBarry]

I always though the same about gary lineker's Walkers adverts. A fanstastic sportsman like him should not be advertising the last thing kids should be eating.