uttoxram75 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Campaign to loosen football booze laws launched 19th July 2011 Football industry magazine FC Business has launched a new campaign to scrap the laws which currently make it illegal to consume alcohol within sight of the pitch. FC Business says it intends to lobby for the support of all league Chairmen, Chief Executives, and Stadium Safety Managers, to change laws which discriminate against football fans. It is currently against the law to consume alcohol within view of the pitch and the law covers “all designated sports grounds”. However, it is not applied to any other games or events, including both rugby codes, cricket and music concerts, even when they take place in football stadiums. FC Business argues that this is discriminatory against football fans and this argument is in line with Football Supporters’ Federation policy. The FSF believes that all discriminatory laws which apply to football fans, and no other group in society, should be changed. As well as improving the “match day experience” FC Business claims the majority of clubs believe the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol) Act 1985 should be reviewed, or even scrapped, to allow increased revenue. Ryan McKnight, Editor of FC Business, said: “On one hand we are saying football clubs must be solvent and profitable and on the other hand there is discriminative legislation preventing further revenue growth in this area. The law needs to be reviewed - we believe the issue should be discussed in public in an open and honest manner. Football fans are being discriminated against.” “Football clubs now, more than ever, need to be able to generate extra revenue. Allowing fans the opportunity to take their drinks back to their seats will ease concourse congestion allowing more fans to purchase drinks and food helping to increase revenue as well as promoting a more sensible approach to drinking.” The campaign’s initial objectives are to open up the debate on alcohol consumption at games which they hope will lead to a full risk analysis. Should this risk assessment prove acceptable to the authorities FC Business hopes that the current legislation would be amended to bring football into line with other sports. This would prove a win-win for both clubs and fans as a loosening of the law would increase clubs’ potential profit from alcohol sales while ending discrimination against football fans. Football clubs’ commercial departments might also offer a warm welcome to any changes as, at present, the law prevents VIP guests enjoying the same hospitality that they might enjoy at other sports. If they wish to sip champagne while play continues a curtain has to be drawn across the VIP box’s window so they are not consuming within sight of the pitch. Of course a change in the legislation would also allow ‘normal’ fans to sup a pint on the terraces too as supporters in other countries such as Germany can. Speaking to FC Business FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke backed the proposed law change and argued it would also help ease crowd congestion: “This legislation is outdated. What does it achieve? What happens inside grounds is that because it is a criminal offence to consume alcohol within sight of the pitch, there are often last-minute rushes into stands from the concourse at the start of games, as fans charge in from the pub, rather than them coming in an orderly fashion. “From a crowd management point of view it is not sensible, in fact it is stupid and counter-productive. Football fans are being discriminated against and the law is disproportionate. In rugby it is OK to drink in your seats, often in the very same seats as football fans are not allowed to drink in. It is absurd. “It is also an offence to drink on official coaches and mini-buses going to football, but not in rugby or cricket. It should be left to the coach trip parties to decide. There has been no proper risk analysis for what this Act achieves and whether it is necessary. The law is an ass and should be abolished. It is a crude way to tackle the issue and serves no purpose. It doesn’t reduce drinking; it just means fans drink in a shorter time. It has nothing going for it.” FC Business argues that now is the time to acknowledge the game’s changing demographic and “considerable progress” in tackling past demons. Over the coming months, F.C. Business will be promoting the campaign which will take in the views of the clubs, the police and stadium safety officers, football fans, and the drinks industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorksopRam Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Possible 'yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake n Bake Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 This would be good, apart from the beer at pride park is ***** :confused: maybe if they get some good beers flowing, or even better guinness it would be a good idea Better still, letting you bring your own beers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 this should be allowed, in Germany i think you can consume alcohol on the safe standing areas, people will drink at football whether in the concourse or in their seat, in the end it has the same affect if you are in your seat or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake n Bake Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Just realised there would be one problem with it, which I hope wouldn't effect the decision. If I was drinking during the game I'd constantly need to go for a p1ss, Unless i managed to hold breaking the seal for agggeesss. But then again visiting the gents would be fine oppurtunity to get another beverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams71 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 will people walk round selling the ale like at baseball games in america,so you don't have to leave your seat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derbydan Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 will people walk round selling the ale like at baseball games in america,so you don't have to leave your seat? haha that would be good beer brought to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 will people walk round selling the ale like at baseball games in america,so you don't have to leave your seat? i think it would depend on the club, i bet we would though, remember them selling chips last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake n Bake Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Wouldn't the law mean that each tray of alcohol would have to be liscensed for someone to sell alcohol lol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramjam Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 The problem is when you go to the cricket or rugby, the fact that you're allowed beers is kind of respected and no one takes the pi55 (too much!). Guaranteed, if they allowed comparative alcohol sales at football a small number of idiots would just ruin it. Sad but true I feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdinburghRam Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Wouldn't the law mean that each tray of alcohol would have to be liscensed for someone to sell alcohol lol? hmmmmm. This isn't going to happen, so I wouldn't get your hopes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 The problem is when you go to the cricket or rugby, the fact that you're allowed beers is kind of respected and no one takes the pi55 (too much!). Guaranteed, if they allowed comparative alcohol sales at football a small number of idiots would just ruin it. Sad but true I feel. at cricket it is, when i saw england play Australia in the ashes in 2005 at trent bridge i went for 3 of the 5 day test and most people around me were pissed. I think it makes no difference whether you are drink in the concourse or in your seat really, they are still drunk either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake n Bake Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 There is always hope! Although wishing for beer at football matches is very hopeful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramjam Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 at cricket it is, when i saw england play Australia in the ashes in 2005 at trent bridge i went for 3 of the 5 day test and most people around me were pissed. I think it makes no difference whether you are drink in the concourse or in your seat really, they are still drunk either way. Whenever I've been to test matches or to Twickenham because you can drink and generally there aren't too many d1ck heads its fine. Even when people are drunk the whole thing kind of polices itself. At football, it would just be carnage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 i don't think it would be, this wouldn't necessarily lead to more drinking, just where you can drink. You have adequate police and segregation policies to make sure no trouble would occur between different fans, i think it would work fine, they could introduce this as a new era of football, if they introduce safe standing, drinking near the pitch, it shows that we trust football fans or the majority to be sensible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shake n Bake Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 i don't think it would be, this wouldn't necessarily lead to more drinking, just where you can drink. You have adequate police and segregation policies to make sure no trouble would occur between different fans, i think it would work fine, they could introduce this as a new era of football, if they introduce safe standing, drinking near the pitch, it shows that we trust football fans or the majority to be sensible. I don't think football fans can ever be described as sensible... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alph Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I'd have to get pi55ed just to be at a Cricket match. If i had to sit through a whole day of the game i'd want Ecstasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeds Ram Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I think that in itself is the main problem, we need to develop a culture where it is seen that football fans are sensible, football violence has been clamped down on as have many other problems which plagued football. Our fans are becoming more sensible and describing them as not sensible i think is unfair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramjam Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 i don't think it would be, this wouldn't necessarily lead to more drinking, just where you can drink. You have adequate police and segregation policies to make sure no trouble would occur between different fans, i think it would work fine, they could introduce this as a new era of football, if they introduce safe standing, drinking near the pitch, it shows that we trust football fans or the majority to be sensible. Allowing fans to drink I their seats would without doubt increase drinking - the reason they don't allow it is to reduce it! Allowing it is effectively saying drink before and throughout the whole game, currently you can just squeeze a quick one i at half time Unfortunately whilst many football fans are sensible, some are not. Plus I don't see this changing any time soon as some younger fans almost play up to the boozy laddish image...a cultural change is some way away unfortunately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorksopRam Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 For me, I wouldn't drink much more, it'd just make it easier not having to rush down and neck a couple at half time and then get straight back up. I'd probably drink the same most of the time, but just enjoy it more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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