Alcohol sponsorship of community football clubs: the current situation.
OBJECTIVE
There is accumulating evidence supporting a link between alcohol industry sponsorship and alcohol-related problems in both community and elite-level sports. Little is known, however, about the current status of such sponsorship, particularly of community sport. This study aimed to assess associations between alcohol industry sponsorship and different community football clubs in Australia.


METHODS
The study involved 101 community football clubs across New South Wales, Australia. One representative from each club took part in a cross-sectional telephone survey designed to assess club (football code, number of players, socioeconomic and geographic descriptors) and alcohol industry sponsorship (money, equipment, free alcohol or discounted alcohol) characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to test associations between club characteristics, and: i) any alcohol industry sponsorship; and ii) type of sponsorship.


RESULTS
Eighty-eight per cent of clubs reported receiving sponsorship from the alcohol industry, and most clubs (82%) were sponsored by a licensed premises. There were no significant associations between club characteristics and source of alcohol industry sponsorship. However, small clubs were found to be significantly more likely to receive free or discounted alcohol sponsorship than larger clubs (p=0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This exploratory study suggests a significant presence of alcohol industry sponsorship among community football clubs in Australia.
Hunter New England Population Health, New South Wales.
Amy L
AL
Sawyer
Luke
L
Wolfenden
Vanessa J
VJ
Kennedy
Melanie
M
Kingsland
Kylie G
KG
Young
Jennifer
J
Tindall
Bosco C
BC
Rowland
Richard W
RW
Colbran
John H
JH
Wiggers
D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005378:Financial Support / Q000941:ethics*; D005538:Football / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009517:New South Wales; D012916:Soccer / Q000191:economics*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors