Alcohol at the football

[Greenlantern]

If they can't allow scottish football fans the choice of alcohol at games, can't they at least put some strippers on?

[Dungolfin]

Well, if you say it's a moot point then that's it! Clearly there's no coming back from that argument. I may as well not bother responding on a discussion forum if some random guy decides it's moot. P.S. I'm not desperate to have a drink at the football, I just don't understand the logic of someone who believes that if I am allowed then it's the end of society. I didn't mean extra police and stewards, (now who's making stuff up?), I meant being sensible about the games where alcohol was available. Since you seem so concerned about the Old Firm, their away games tend to be 12:30 kick off - how about only giving licences after 2pm? That's what I meant by managed.

Brilliant solution, let's manage the problem by, eh, not making alcohol available at the game. See you worked it out all by yourself, well done...can I go now.

[~~~]

Brilliant solution, let's manage the problem

What problem?

[Jambomo]

Alcohol at the game is a funny topic as so many people have quite set views on it but the reality is that it probably won't be the massive change that people think it will be.

Plenty of people turn up at games in some drunken states and folk are already up and down during matches, going to the loo/buying food and drinks, so these things wouldn't change. A few more pints over 90 minutes is also probably not going to change someone from sober to blind drunk, just make them slight more worse than they were when they came in.

When you think about it though, is it really that important? Does anyone care THAT much about buying piss warm beer for double the price in a pub, served in a shitty plastic glass. In England folk miss half the game because they have to drink in the concourses so between queuing, buying and drinking a beer you've probably missed a good 15 minutes.

Is it honestly worth the level of debate? I think for many the idea of being allowed to drink at games is more important than the actual experience of being able to drink at games.

[vikingTON]

Erm, people already queue during games and in a convenient, 15 minute interval for food at football. There isn't even a debate - it's an entirely one-sided case for giving adults the choice within an environment that can be easily licensed, and giving a small but hardly expendable boost to match day revenues in the process.

Mumbling about whether people would enjoy it or not is utterly irrelevant to the principle and basic business sense. Otherwise we'd be banning Scotch pies from grounds because most of them taste like lips and sawdust.

[RedRob72]

Been enjoying a drink before the game for years, doesn't spoil my day when its my turn to drive the bus though and cant have a beer! Whether it's Raith or QoTS away for example.

Don't understand the lads that feel the need to be tanked up before the game (some of our own SC members included).

You talk to them after the game, and they haven't got a clue, where they've been or what they've watched!?

Seems pointless to me

[1320Lichtie]

Been enjoying a drink before the game for years, doesn't spoil my day when its my turn to drive the bus though and cant have a beer! Whether it's Raith or QoTS away for example.

Don't understand the lads that feel the need to be tanked up before the game (some of our own SC members included).

You talk to them after the game, and they haven't got a clue, where they've been or what they've watched!?

Seems pointless to me

aye but what's that got to do with selling alcohol in the ground?

[Jambomo]

Erm, people already queue during games and in a convenient, 15 minute interval for food at football. There isn't even a debate - it's an entirely one-sided case for giving adults the choice within an environment that can be easily licensed, and giving a small but hardly expendable boost to match day revenues in the process.

Mumbling about whether people would enjoy it or not is utterly irrelevant to the principle and basic business sense. Otherwise we'd be banning Scotch pies from grounds because most of them taste like lips and sawdust.

What I meant was at the games I was at down South, they queued constantly during the game, out with the half time period, which was always the busiest time, to get beer and then had to drink it in the concourse meaning fans appeared often to to miss a lot of the actual game. At least with pies etc you can go straight back to your seat.

It's up to them if they want to do that of course, just seems a bit stupid to me.

[killienick]

Brilliant solution, let's manage the problem by, eh, not making alcohol available at the game. See you worked it out all by yourself, well done...can I go now.

You know, for a guy who keeps saying it's a moot point - you seem to be saying rather a lot about it. I'll let you into a secret, if games kick of at 3pm, then 2pm is before that. (When the big hand is at 12 and the little hand is at 3 on your watch if you are confused). And in answer to your question, Yes, you can go now.

[Bert Raccoon]

If you can't consume enough alcohol before the game that you're still pished when it finishes then you're doing it wrong.

[Romeo]

P&B seems to be full of raging alcoholics.

[Ira Gaines]

It's up to them if they want to do that of course

And that's the point. It might be stupid, but that's just nowhere near the point, and not sure why it'd even get brought up in this debate.

[RedRob72]

aye but what's that got to do with selling alcohol in the ground?

The 90 + minutes they're in the ground is the only chance for most of em to sober up, I'd leave it as it is.

[Jambomo]

And that's the point. It might be stupid, but that's just nowhere near the point, and not sure why it'd even get brought up in this debate.

To be honest I agree with you and the in that it makes good business sense to allow alcohol sales in football and I don't have a problem with the decision either way.

My comment was only really an aside that people seem to be pushing hard for something that probably won't make a huge amount of difference in the long run. It's not meant as an argument for or against the issue.

It gets brought up in the debate because the debate isn't just about how sound it is as an idea. People have opinions and comments around the subject that aren't strictly tied to whether it's a good or bad idea, just observations in general.

[~~~]

The 90 + minutes they're in the ground is the only chance for most of em to sober up, I'd leave it as it is.

Most of who?

Also, you trying to use the argument banning people from having alcohol in view of the pitch is somehow an act to help people who might have an alcohol problem?

[Sergeant Wilson]

Erm, people already queue during games and in a convenient, 15 minute interval for food at football. There isn't even a debate - it's an entirely one-sided case for giving adults the choice within an environment that can be easily licensed, and giving a small but hardly expendable boost to match day revenues in the process.

Mumbling about whether people would enjoy it or not is utterly irrelevant to the principle and basic business sense. Otherwise we'd be banning Scotch pies from grounds because most of them taste like lips and sawdust.

Who have you been kissing?

[RedRob72]

Most of who?

Also, you trying to use the argument banning people from having alcohol in view of the pitch is somehow an act to help people who might have an alcohol problem?

Not at all, it wouldn't make any difference; I just think we have a very different relationship with alcohol in Scotland to our European Cousins, that's all. Why exacerbate a problem that clearly some people have by enabling continued drinking once inside the ground.

[~~~]

Not at all, it wouldn't make any difference; I just think we have a very different relationship with alcohol in Scotland to our European Cousins, that's all. Why exacerbate a problem that clearly some people have by enabling continued drinking once inside the ground.

In what was is it exacerbating the problem? Unless you're trying to suggest the majority of football fans are alcoholics

If you really want to make an argument against our "problem" with alcohol you'd be calling for off licenses and pubs to be limited or closed down, ban supermarkets from selling alcohol, no more T in the park etc...

You don't though, why? Because allowing punters a beer in view of the pitch makes no difference to wider social problems with alcohol.

Simply put, the so called argument for keep a ban in place brought in a generation ago is laughable.

[ThirdrockfromtheSon]

Alcohol at the game is a funny topic as so many people have quite set views on it but the reality is that it probably won't be the massive change that people think it will be.

Plenty of people turn up at games in some drunken states and folk are already up and down during matches, going to the loo/buying food and drinks, so these things wouldn't change. A few more pints over 90 minutes is also probably not going to change someone from sober to blind drunk, just make them slight more worse than they were when they came in.

When you think about it though, is it really that important? Does anyone care THAT much about buying piss warm beer for double the price in a pub, served in a shitty plastic glass. In England folk miss half the game because they have to drink in the concourses so between queuing, buying and drinking a beer you've probably missed a good 15 minutes.

Is it honestly worth the level of debate? I think for many the idea of being allowed to drink at games is more important than the actual experience of being able to drink at games.

Excellent post, which IMO covers both sides of the discussion.

I can get a drink in our ground from about 12.30 - 1pm until Kick Off. If I was rich and daft enough I could be absolutely wasted by Kick Off.

This is more about changing culture during matches than actually having a drink or two at a game, I think.

Remember Blair's philosophy over 24 hour drinking? He thought that he'd turn us all into genteel, wine sipping luvvies. What did we get? SuperNed/SuperLaddette.

I'm afraid I think it would be the same if alcohol was introduced during matches.

[Ramagamma]

I wish you could smoke a blunt mid game.