Alcohol sponsorship ban would have huge impact - survey

Many sports clubs rely heavily on alcohol-related sponsorship. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

A ban on sponsorship from alcohol-related businesses would have a huge impact on many sports clubs, but the clubs want to be involved in helping deal with alcohol-related harms, a survey has shown.

A paper prepared by the government sports agency, Sport and Recreation New Zealand (Sparc), showed 43 per cent of sports clubs surveyed felt a ban on alcohol-related sponsorship would have a large or very large impact on them.

"Quite honestly, we would not survive if our finance through either the bar or through sponsorship from alcohol was taken away from us," one small rural rugby and netball club said.

The paper, prepared as the Government was reviewing alcohol laws, said it was estimated that total alcohol advertising and promotion (not just in sport) ranged from $73 million to $165 million per year.

It said there was a problem with the drinking culture in New Zealand, but it was not clear from research whether sports had more of a problem with alcohol misuse than New Zealand society in general. Clubs surveyed questioned whether alcohol sponsorship in sport had any relation to the wider drinking problem.

There were numerous initiatives designed to counteract harmful alcohol consumption in sports and clubs, and the organisations wanted to be part of efforts to discourage alcohol abuse.

"Based on the actions that responsible clubs and sports organisations are already taking, it is evident that sports and sports clubs are already part of the solution to managing harmful alcohol behaviours in New Zealand, and there is potential to strengthen this role in future."

Alcohol is allowed to be promoted in a number of different ways, but it illegal to promote excessive consumption.

- NZPA