Study reveals young people’s concerns over alcohol sponsorship in sport

Young people have voiced concerns about the pervasive presence of alcohol sponsorship in sport, research by the University of Stirling has shown.

The study found that the young people surveyed view alcohol sponsorship as contradictory to the healthy aspirations of sport but acknowledged it had become normalised, with a majority calling for restrictions.

Researchers found that participants were frequently exposed to alcohol sponsorship through televised sport, social media and advertising, particularly when watching football and rugby, with many reporting seeing alcohol branding daily.

The findings come after the World Cup which saw FIFA generate billions of dollars in sponsorship revenue, including from alcohol brands whose products are heavily promoted during matches watched by millions of young people worldwide.

The study, published in the journal Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, asked people aged 11 to 17 in Scotland for their views on alcohol sponsorship of sports teams, competitions and events.

While young people demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of sponsorship as a marketing strategy, many questioned why alcohol brands were associated with sport and expressed concerns about the impact such marketing could have on young people.

"It's a bit ironic"

One participant said: “It’s a bit ironic for sports, which is obviously linked with health, to be partnered with alcohol.”

Another said: “It’s always been there, like present in sporting events. If you’re younger, then you’re always seeing it, so it’s becoming quite normal.”

Researchers have suggested policymakers consider how alcohol marketing operates across multiple platforms that are accessible to young people, and how repeated exposure can shape attitudes towards alcohol over time.

Dr Richard Purves, from The Institute for Social Marketing and Health (ISMH) at the University of Stirling, who led the study, said: “Young people are not simply noticing alcohol sponsorship in sport – they are actively thinking about what it means and questioning whether it belongs there.

“Many participants saw a clear contradiction between the healthy image of sport and the promotion of alcohol brands, but they also described alcohol sponsorship as something they have come to expect because it is so visible across sporting events and broadcasts.

“This creates a situation where alcohol branding can become normalised, even among young people who are critical of it.

“Policymakers should consider not only how often young people are exposed to alcohol sponsorship, but also how they can better protect young people from repeated exposure to alcohol marketing through sport.”

Dr Richard Purves

The study involved ten online focus groups with 44 young people aged 11 to 17 from across Scotland.

Participants reported seeing alcohol sponsorship most frequently while watching football and rugby, particularly through television broadcasts where branding appeared on pitch-side advertising, team kits and commercial breaks.

Many also expressed concern that alcohol sponsorship could influence younger viewers by creating positive associations between alcohol brands and their favourite teams, athletes and sporting events.

"It's not a good message"

One participant said: “It’s not a good message to send to young people watching sport.”

Another added: “If you’re watching football or rugby all the time, there’s always an alcohol brand sponsoring it. So, you’re going to think it’s not that bad if they’re sponsoring it that often.”

Most participants said steps should be taken to reduce young people’s exposure to alcohol sponsorship, including by restricting when alcohol sponsorship can appear during broadcasts and limiting where branding can be displayed at sporting venues.

The study was funded by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), a partnership of the Medical Royal Colleges and the Faculty of Public Health in Scotland which provides the authoritative clinical voice on how policymakers and clinicians can reduce alcohol-related harms in Scotland.

SHAAP Chair Dr Alastair MacGilchrist OBE (pictured below) said: “This research shows that young people can see exactly what the alcohol industry would prefer they didn't: that there is a basic contradiction in using sport, which we associate with health and achievement, to sell a product responsible for so much harm.

“When children tell us alcohol branding has become so normal they barely question it anymore, that should concern all of us. Repeated exposure to alcohol marketing shapes attitudes over time and sport gives the industry a direct line to young audiences on a massive scale.

“Policymakers now have clear evidence, in young people's own words. Restricting alcohol sponsorship in sport is a sensible, proportionate step to protect children from marketing they neither chose nor benefit from.”