By Tim Hipps
College football fans of Power Five conference schools approve of alcohol sales and advertising at NCAA games, according to a recent study at Samford University.
Drs. Clifton Eason and Nathan Kirkpatrick revealed their “Fan Perceptions of Alcohol Related Sponsorship and Sales at Collegiate Sporting Events” during the 2018 Sport and Recreation Law Association’s annual conference.
Alcohol was sold inside the football stadiums of 34 NCAA Division I schools in 2017, a growing trend that influences college administrators’ business decisions.
The study researched fans’ perceptions of alcohol-based corporate sponsorships and sales at NCAA Division I athletic events, where several schools began selling beer in recent years to bolster attendance and revenue.
The study sought to be administratively and managerially relevant to collegiate athletic departments, university-level administration, and adult-beverage companies that may be considering sales and/or sponsorship agreements with academic institutions.
The study also addressed potential legal issues caused by increased alcohol sales and consumption on college campuses, such as underage drinking, drug use, and sexual assault.
Armed with a more complete understanding of these issues and potential legal ramifications from the perspective of fans, college administrators can better anticipate and plan for legal realities, such as the need for additional security and law enforcement.
These research questions were posed to 533 survey participants, 422 of whom responded:
What are fan and alumni perceptions of alcohol-related sponsorships and sales at NCAA Division I collegiate athletic events?
How do fans expect selling alcohol and/or beer at collegiate athletic events would lead to more illegal and violent issues (drunk driving, sexual assault, underage drinking, civil disobedience, property damage, trespassing, etc.) on college campuses both during and after the games?
How would selling alcohol and/or beer at collegiate athletic events impact the decision to purchase tickets and attend — given the potential increase for alcohol-related illegal activities around these events?
Survey participants included “big fans” of college football teams from the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific-10 and Southeastern conferences.
The survey revealed a slight preference for alcohol sales, which would have little to no impact on attendance. Likewise, fans said alcohol-related sponsorships would have little impact on their perception of the schools. Concerns about crime and behavior were expressed, but alienated fans were outweighed by fans of the additional revenue generated.
Responses varied little by gender or fan type, more so by age. Parents were less favorable to alcohol sales and more concerned about drunk driving.
“The older people got, the less favorable their attitudes were toward having alcohol sales or alcohol sponsorships or what they thought the alcohol sales or sponsorships might do to the public perception of their school,” Eason said.
What It All Means
Having a better understanding of fans’ perceptions of alcohol-related sponsorships and sales at college athletic events can help administrators make better informed decisions when establishing ground rules for college campuses.
“The financial data is really going to prove to be a big driver for decisions that get made,” Eason said. “Athletic directors, school presidents, sponsorship directors are people who really dig into these numbers more clearly and understand the financial impact of allowing alcohol sales will have on campus.”
The notion that beer is consumed every autumn Saturday on college campuses across America is nothing new. The fact that football fans approve of the growing number of schools allowing alcohol sales and advertising inside the stadiums of their beloved teams, however, may be foretelling.
