Should alcohol companies sponsor sports and arts events?

[Administrator]

Alcohol brands are increasingly visible at all sorts of events - from football and rugby matches to music and comedy festivals. Do you think this is appropriate? Should there be restrictions on alcohol sponsorship?

[shahin100]

Yes its nothing wrong in sponsoring sports events........

[squirrelscot]

drinks companies should absolutely not sponsor sporting events - it's a complete hypocrisy to link sporting excellence and alcohol, the consumption of which would seriously impair performance! I hate the fact that my beloved Scotland football team, for example, are sponsored by Tennent's (and many of our biggest clubs are also sponsored by drinks companies); it's absolutely disingenous of the SFA to chastise players (such as Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor) for using an alcoholic product before a match, when they gladly take spnosorship money from a drinks company. I cringe that the Tennent's 'whatever it takes, wherever it takes us' logo is so proudly displayed - and announced - at every Hampden game. whatever it takes? oh, about a twelve-pack. wherever it takes us? hospital (or a night in the cells). we've worked very hard to improve the reputation of our fans, but keeping alive the link between supporting a team and using alcohol threatens to undo that.

and whilst many 'arts' events - the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Opera, theatres etc - may attract a different audience than (for example) an event at the 'Carling' Academy, there's still an association being built up about enjoyment and alcohol. there is no doubt that many people enjoy drinking in moderation, but we need to be blunt: excessive alcohol consumption by many young Scots means that our town and city centres are not pleasant places to be on Friday and Saturday nights for anybody who isn't going out to just get bladdered. the resulting damage to people's health - not to mention the burden it places on our health service - is taking a terrible toll on us as a whole population. if we're serious as a country about tackling alcohol misuse, then we need to make some really tough decisions about how alcohol is currently so much at the front and centre of many of our cultural activities. this, in my opinion, would mean an end to drinks sponsorship of all cultural events/venues and would start to break the association that alcohol = culture.

I particularly dislike the association that Tennet's has with our biggest music festival, T In The Park, which gives enormous cultural caché to the drinks company by being associated with hugely popular bands. this event, aimed most defnitely at a young audience (mid-teens and upwards), creates the association that alcohol is linked to having fun and being 'cool'. I would like to see a ban on drinks companies sponsoring all such events.

[Barm]

I would suggest that Tennent's should move over entirely to organising arts and sporting events and get out of brewing altogether, because they're quite good at the former, whereas their beer is terrible.

[joetraff]

Good suggestions.
Keep up the good work.

[peaceclub7]

yes, they should encourage the teenager to be involved in sports...

[MariaN73]

it my opinion it should be banned.

[eduardoelf]

i think yes