Publications

Pro Sports Stadiums Likely To Sell Alcohol To Intoxicated And Underage Patrons

While “tail-gating parties” and “throwing back a few at the game” are traditions for many sports fans, the reality is that drinking alcohol before, during and/or after sporting events can increase the chances of traffic accidents and injuries before, during, and after professional sporting events. Illegal alcohol sales at these events may be one contributing factor to such alcohol-related incidents. This first-of-its-kind study looked at the likelihood of alcohol sales to underage youth and intoxicated patrons at professional sports stadiums across the U.S., and what factors may facilitate these illegal sales.

Researchers had young persons who appeared younger than 21 years old, the legal U.S. drinking age, and actors feigning intoxication attempt to purchase alcohol in the stands and at concession booths at 16 sports stadiums (for professional hockey, basketball, baseball, and football) in five U.S. states. In total, they conducted 159 pseudo-underage and 159 pseudo-intoxicated purchase attempts. Researchers also collected seller, purchase-attempt, and event characteristics.

Results showed that the individuals who appeared underage or obviously intoxicated had a relatively easy time purchasing alcohol at the professional sports events examined. The overall sales rate to the pseudo-underage buyers was 18 percent, and to the pseudo-intoxicated buyers was 74 percent. The best predictor for either type of illegal sale was location of the purchase attempt: the odds of a sale to a pseudo-underage buyer and a pseudo-intoxicated buyer in the stands were 2.9 larger than the odds of a sale at the concession booths. Study authors recommended that stadiums do more to help vendors check for proof of age and sobriety, particularly those who sell alcohol in the stands, given that they are likely under pressure to work faster to avoid blocking other fans’ view of the game and are less likely to be monitored by managers.

(Toomey, TL, Erickson, DJ, Lenk, KM, Kilian, GR: Likelihood of illegal alcohol sales at professional sport stadiums. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 32: 1859-64, 2008.)

Related posts:

1. Intoxicated and Underage Find Easy Access to Alcohol
2. Interventions Needed to Reduce Sales to Intoxicated Persons
3. Societal Cost of Underage Drinking
4. Alcohol, Autos, and College – A High Risk Combo
5. Sacramento SNAPP Program Pays Off