www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Aims: To examine the relationship between direct alcohol and non-alcohol sponsorship and drinking in Australian sportspeople. Methods: Australian sportspeople (N = 652; 51% female) completed questionnaires on alcohol and non-alcohol industry sponsorship (from bars, cafes etc.), drinking behaviour (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)) and known confounders. Results: … Multivariate regression showed that receipt of alcohol industry sponsorship was predictive of higher AUDIT scores …Conclusion: Governments should consider alternatives to alcohol industry sponsorship of sport. Hypothecated taxes on tobacco have been used successfully for replacing tobacco sponsorship of sport in some countries, and may show equal utility for the alcohol industry’s funding of sport. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 01/31/11) alcalc.oxfordjournals.org, 01/31/11

A bill introduced in North Dakota would ban alcohol use and possession at college sports events where minors are present, the Associated Press reported Jan. 14.
Rep. Chuck Damschen (R-Hampden) of the N.D. House of Representatives put the proposal forward to cut down on underage drinking. If the bill passed, alcohol would be prohibited in stadiums, arenas, and at tailgate parties where minors are present. (Source: Join Together, 01/28/11)

Teachers and middle- and high-school students: here’s your chance to „Get in the Game“ by participating in this informal national survey that will help measure the impact of alcohol advertising from the Super Bowl.
The Drug-Free Action Alliance of Ohio is calling for young people from across the country to participate in the „Big Bowl Vote 2011“ on Feb. 7, the day after the Super Bowl. The survey is intended to gauge which commercials the students remember and prefer — and to help students more-thoughtfully evaluate alcohol advertising. (Source: Join Together, 01/24/11)

First Study To Measure Blood Alcohol Levels After Games Finds 8 Percent Of Fans Legally Drunk After Attending Professional Sports Games.
It’s no secret that there is a lot of alcohol consumed by fans at sporting events, …A new study published online in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (ACER) finds that BAC levels can be measured using a breath tester on fans as they exit football and baseball events. And the results show that 60% of the fans had zero BAC, 40% had a positive BAC, and nearly 8% were legally drunk. (Source: Medical News Today, 01/19/11)

The Free The Bowl contest is open to youth 10-20 years old. The deadline for 30-60 second counter-beer-ad video entries is January 24, 2011. Winners will be announced during the Free The Bowl 2011 World Premiere, February 3, 2011, at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, California. (Source: Marin Institute, 1/11/11)

ALBUQUERQUE – The alcohol scandal that cost two La Cueva High School football coaches their positions has now led to activity suspensions for four seniors on the team, News 13 has learned.
The four players allegedly consumed alcohol on the team bus while returning from the team’s playoff loss to Mayfield High School in Las Cruces on Nov. 26. They have been suspended from extracurricular activities for 45 days. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 12/09/10) krqe.com, 12/08/10

Marin Institute has launched its third annual, countrywide, anti-alcohol-advertising contest at FreeTheBowl.com. This year’s theme – “Free the Bowl from Beer Ads” – seeks original, 30-60 seconds long, “performance art” counter-beer-ads from youth and young adults ages 10-20. Deadline for entry is January 24th, and the winners will receive cash prizes up to $1000! To learn more, watch the video.

30 Million underage youth view beer ads on Super Bowl Sunday.
Help Marin Institute fight back against Big Alcohol advertising during TV Sports events with our Free The Bowl contest. The more alcohol ads kids see, the more likely they are to drink.
10.7 million underage youth drink; 7.2 million binge drink. Our Free the Bowl video contest empowers youth (ages 10-20) to make original „counter-beer-ads“ to speak out against bombarding youth with beer ads during TV sports events like the Super Bowl. Help us launch our 2011 Free The Bowl contest on November17th—and give youth video a voice.
Anheuser-Busch InBev spends over $14 million on Super Bowl beer ads. Your donation can help counter that power. (Source: Marin Institute, 11/11/10)

We are, unfortunately, used to seeing booze ads during sports. (Baseball: the nation’s pasttime. Alcohol: the nation’s poison?) And, come October, we’re used to seeing baseball players celebrate playoff series‘ wins with televised champagne sprays.
So, this playoff season when the Texas Rangers won the American League Divisional Series, and then the A.L. Championship Series (ALCS), the Ale of choice — Ginger Ale — was a welcome surprise.
The Rangers gave dual celebrations — one nonalcoholic — out of respect for their ALCS MVP center-fielder Josh Hamilton, who is sober and in ongoing recovery. They also gave a separate champagne party for players. (Source: Join Together, 11/02/10)

A United Kingdom charity group has asked the government to ban alcohol ads from television prior to 9 p.m. and to remove them entirely from the internet, the Guardian reported Oct. 20.
The government-funded agency, Alcohol Concern, proposed the ban after research found more than a million four- to 15-year-olds were exposed to alcohol promotions during England’s participation in World Cup soccer. The total could go as high as five million if all live games, not just England’s, are taken into account. (Source: Join Together, 10/27/10)