Alcohol ban?

[Canterbury Blade]

I've noted in a few places the case for a lifting of the pitch view alcohol ban. The case being put forward centres on the changed nature of fans, stadia and of alcohol legislation generally, that have all occurred since the ban was introduced. Equally, the move away from encouraging binge drinking and the parity with other sports were mentioned. A case I can understand.

I've also been fortunate to watch a few Bundesliga matches where everyone seems to be on it all day long. Usually, inside the ground, there is some bloke with a barrel on his back, with a pipe attached, who walks up and down the terraces actively touting for ale sales. For a few Euros you can get a pitch side top up. It seems to work over there.

The UK case did however, have some caveats where pitch view ale would not be allowed. For instance, the police could ban the sale beforehand for high passion encounters, with local derbys and grudge games being cited. I've also heard that a rapid closure could occur should there be trouble locally before the game. Again seem sensible.

However, my fans view suggestion to the legislators would be for a counter argument to open the bars when you're beloved team offers no entertainment, when the frustrations with the view of what is occurring in the pitch view is so bad and when your team don't ever score more than one goal a game. In cases such as these then fans should be able to demand the bars open no matter what. The more enlightened clubs could even offer reduced prices or BOGOF style deals during game time.

The benefit for United currently, would be that the super enhanced bar profits from introducing such an approach could be used to buy the quality we so desperately need. I'd even suggest a marketing ploy could be introduced along the lines that charities use. For instance, for every pint sold we will donate 50 p into the buy Brayford fund or in future years fans could be given a waitrose style green token to be used to select which player they would like their beer profit to buy.

Is this a way forward?

 

[SwissBlade]

Woo hoo piss up on the Kop!

 

[grafikhaus]

Yes, you can buy beer in Bundesliga games and at games in Holland. Generally, the Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians drink more than the British. But they can handle it. They don't need to round off a night with a fight and a trip to A & E.

Also, if beer was sold on the Kop, I dread to think how it would mix with all the weed being smoked...

 

[Esablade]

Hip-Flask anyone?
Just asking

 

[Dkc]

Yes, if you really want to drink while watching the game, you can always take a hip flask or a rum and coke in a Pepsi bottle

Like the blanket ban on standing, the alcohol within view of the pitch rule is outdated and ridiculous. But as these two issues could be perceived as making football grounds "less safe", few MP's will support a change in the law.

We were saying last night, forcing people to draw the blinds in the executive boxes on the JSS is just stupid

 

[JJ Sefton]

I was at Twickenham t'other day. The combination of freezing cold weather and folk necking pints throughout the match meant I was up and down every couple of minutes letting someone get past for a toilet trip.

 

[maidmarion]

I have no problems with people drinking alcohol at the games or before, what I do have a problem with is what alcohol does to the fans.
When we are winning its all sweetness and light, but should we go behind or not be playing as the fans think we should then things slowly turn nasty.the crowd soon turn on the players and that cannot be helpful.
Drink led to fights at Wembley for goodness sake......

So i cannot see a return to drinking during the match...mainly because of the aggressiveness of some supporters.........oh and can you imagine all the Trips to the loos, ..........

 

[boo radley]

Like the blanket ban on standing.

Are you trying to stop old people going to the games?
Banning Blankets indeed!

 

[axel smeets]

The ban on football fans drinking in view of the pitch is class warfare, pure and simple.

 

[shorehamview]

If you can't manage without alcohol for 90 minutes out of your day then that's a pretty sad indictment of your drinking habits. And the main reason for keeping a ban in order is that the few who can't drink responsibly will always fuck it up for the sensible majority. How many of you would be in favour of letting people drink while in their seats when they're chucking beer everywhere when there's a goal? A few pints of shitty lager down your collar would soon have you ready for a return of the death penalty.

It's all very well to argue that we should be allowed to have a drink while watching, but you're neglecting the dickhead factor. Some clown will think it hilarious to throw his pint up in the air in "celebration". Plus given the amount of dickheads we seem to attract (I can't speak for other teams, I don't have a season ticket for anyone else) do you really want to get them to drink more?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

The ban on football fans drinking in view of the pitch is class warfare, pure and simple.

A ban on a view of the pitch could be progress?

 

[raul]

The ban on football fans drinking in view of the pitch is class warfare, pure and simple.

It's not though Axel, what's more "working class" than Rugby League? Or Darts? Irrespective of the points raised above by SV, why the desperation for a plastic container of overpriced lager or smoothflow anyway?

 

[shorehamview]

It's not though Axel, what's more "working class" than Rugby League? Or Darts? Irrespective of the points raised above by SV, why the desperation for a plastic container of overpriced lager or smoothflow anyway?

Over three of our English pounds for a pint of Carlsberg in a plastic disposable container and people want to be able to buy more of it. In the last ten years I reckon I've drunk no more than ten pints in the ground while there for a match. There are lots of good pubs nearby that are happy to serve decent booze at a decent price in proper glasses, both before the match and after.

 

[axel smeets]

It's not though Axel, what's more "working class" than Rugby League? Or Darts? Irrespective of the points raised above by SV, why the desperation for a plastic container of overpriced lager or smoothflow anyway?

Its not really that is it? Personally it doesn't bother me, but I always feel that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law, unless you're a football fan. This law just justifies that feeling for me.

 

[Dkc]

If you can't manage without alcohol for 90 minutes out of your day then that's a pretty sad indictment of your drinking habits etc etc.

That's not the point though is it? They allow drinking at football grounds in other countries, and allow drinking at the rugby and the cricket, and they seem to manage fine. One of the stands could be made alcohol free for people like you,

 

[S64 Blade]

Drink led to fights at Wembley for goodness sake......

Do you know this to be true?

Even if the people fighting had drank, would this be explicit evidence to suggest it was what started the fight? It would be a reasonable assumption to say that 80% + adults in the ground had drunk before the game; so if alcohol is the cause of this, then why not more fights?

Surely other factors are at play as the root cause - centered around personality rather than drink.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Who would want to drink the piss they serve up at The Lane anyway

 

[Blade]

Who would want to drink the piss they serve up at The Lane anyway

Exactly. Why not a hookup with one of the many fine local breweries.

 

[Dkc]

They're probably roped into a contract with Carlsberg or Carling or whatever pissy lager they sell. The club should look at doing a deal with Kelham Island or Thornbridge (?) in the future

 

[maidmarion]

Do you know this to be true?

Even if the people fighting had drank, would this be explicit evidence to suggest it was what started the fight? It would be a reasonable assumption to say that 80% + adults in the ground had drunk before the game; so if alcohol is the cause of this, then why not more fights?

Surely other factors are at play as the root cause - centered around personality rather than drink.

Possibly but a lot of people now see away matches as a chance to have a 'few pints' and then go onto the match. This does create a more aggressive atmosphere, more so than say ten years ago,

 

[Blade56]

I've noted in a few places the case for a lifting of the pitch view alcohol ban. The case being put forward centres on the changed nature of fans, stadia and of alcohol legislation generally, that have all occurred since the ban was introduced. Equally, the move away from encouraging binge drinking and the parity with other sports were mentioned. A case I can understand.

I've also been fortunate to watch a few Bundesliga matches where everyone seems to be on it all day long. Usually, inside the ground, there is some bloke with a barrel on his back, with a pipe attached, who walks up and down the terraces actively touting for ale sales. For a few Euros you can get a pitch side top up. It seems to work over there.

The UK case did however, have some caveats where pitch view ale would not be allowed. For instance, the police could ban the sale beforehand for high passion encounters, with local derbys and grudge games being cited. I've also heard that a rapid closure could occur should there be trouble locally before the game. Again seem sensible.

However, my fans view suggestion to the legislators would be for a counter argument to open the bars when you're beloved team offers no entertainment, when the frustrations with the view of what is occurring in the pitch view is so bad and when your team don't ever score more than one goal a game. In cases such as these then fans should be able to demand the bars open no matter what. The more enlightened clubs could even offer reduced prices or BOGOF style deals during game time.

The benefit for United currently, would be that the super enhanced bar profits from introducing such an approach could be used to buy the quality we so desperately need. I'd even suggest a marketing ploy could be introduced along the lines that charities use. For instance, for every pint sold we will donate 50 p into the buy Brayford fund or in future years fans could be given a waitrose style green token to be used to select which player they would like their beer profit to buy.

Is this a way forward?

The case could be made that we NEED alcohol pitch side to be able to watch the Weiresk type football we have played this season.

 

[jt64]

Drink led to fights at Wembley for goodness sake......

from what i saw near to it, i thought it was stuff a bit more potent than alcohol myself (and/or dickheads who will have a fight regardless), but if it was, how would people being able to drink in sight of the pitch make a difference? you're either going to get pissed or you're not. i would imagine that most people would not have been doing it at £remortgage/pint or whatever wembley were charging. maybe if they could drink in sight of the pitch, they'd have drunk less as a round probably equates to a week's wages

have exactly the same opinions and experiences as the OP. never seen a single problem in my various trips to watch games in germany - apart from one lower league game where they sold out. believe it or not, having reasonably priced good beer available means you can actually go down to a game more than 5 minutes before kickoff if you want a decent drink. now if they made it legal to drink + watch here, i might have a pint - if they got some thornbridge, acorn, bradfield etc. i'm not going to suddenly drink carlsberg or keg bitter just because i can.

 

[WhiteHawk]

Serving booze in the ground might mean the lads that sit near me get to the game on time. Think there was 60 minutes on the clock when they turned up to the last home game.

 

[DSB-91]

Not particularly bothered. It would never be anything but the usual pish, Carlsberg and Carling for £3/£4.

Sometimes I have thought it's unfair that you can drink in your seat at cricket and rugby but not football. However, as people have pointed out, you always get the odd wanker who gets overexcited. Every time a goal went in there would be cups of crap lager flying everywhere. I don't want to drink it let alone come home from the football stinking of it.

 

[Kenilworth]

Now if they served Prozac ...........

That would be far more apt

 

[Esablade]

As others have mentioned though...team up with the right suppliers and it could be good.
People go a bit mental before a game as is and try and down as much before kick off.
Sell some ales in the ground and things would be more chilled I reckon...

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

As others have mentioned though...team up with the right suppliers and it could be good.
People go a bit mental before a game as is and try and down as much before kick off.
Sell some ales in the ground and things would be more chilled I reckon...

Install tables of four and charge a premium for the two seats with their backs to the pitch.

 

[bricktop]

Interesting point, but as an regular on the Western Terrace for the big games at Headingley, I'm usually knocking back the ale at 10am in the morning, on it as soon as i get in the ground at 11, and supping all day long, as is pretty much everyone else, and there is very rarely any bother.

 

[JJ Sefton]

My local non league club has a Heroin Corner where you can shoot up during the game and not miss any action.

 

[shorehamview]

One of the stands could be made alcohol free for people like you,

Presumably they could provide ponchos like those supplied at Disneyland and Alton Towers for people who don't want to get wet when some dickhead starts throwing ale around.

And people like me? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? People who don't like going home covered in stale second-hand expensive crap lager? People who don't shake like a shitting dog when deprived of drink for 45 whole minutes in a row? People who can function without the need to get leathered every time they go to a football match? People for who alcohol isn't the be-all and end-all?