16th of January, 2021 by Alcohol and Drug Fundation.
Australia is a proud sporting action, and Australians are avid spectators and participants in a variety of sports. However, there is a problematic relationship between alcohol and sport in Australia. Why?
Because Australian consume alcohol at professional and community sporting events, on top of “assisting” to an ubiquitous advertising of alcohol during games, and to lots of alcohol sponsorship of teams and sporting events. Australians consider alcohol and sport to feature in leisure time, and it is perceived as a ‘legitimate excuse to consume alcohol … whether the level of engagement is participation or spectating’.
Also, sponsorship of sporting events is a particularly effective way for alcohol companies to market their products to a mass audience, by creating positive associations between athletes or sports teams and alcohol.
The main problem is that by advertising during sport creates a positive association between the two entities (sport and alcohol), and the positive association lead to higher intention to consume alcohol, early initiation of drinking, and greater consumption in existing drinkers.
Carlton Draught, a beer’s brand, for example, has been a sponsor of the Australian Football League (AFL) since 1877. Other official partners of the AFL include South Australian winery Wolf Blass and bourbon and whiskey producer Jim Beam. Similarly, the National Rugby League (NRL) is sponsored by Victora Bitter and Bundaberg rum; and Cricket Australia by XXXX Gold beer.
Still, governing bodies keep the relationship between themselves and the alcohol industry an active one, because it is both an opportunity to increase sales for the industry and a revenue source. In fact, AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan notes: “I’m also realistic . . . that by having the relationships that we have, money comes into our system”.
To read the whole article click on the following link: https://adf.org.au/insights/alcohol-and-sport-australia/.