[Football] Proposal to allow alcohol in the stands

[LamieRobertson]

I'm one of those people. I can never recall alcohol being available to drink in the stand of a professional game of association football so I have nothing to miss so to speak.

However I wouldn't object to it being allowed again and I think @jackalbion suggestion on this thread is the right way to do it. Stop serving 5 minutes before kick off of each half and start again 5 minutes before half time/the end. If people could get a beer and drink it at their own pace during the game then surely that is better than necking one at half time in a few minutes. Would also help with the people leaving for half time earlier. If you knew you could bring your beer back to your seat then there is no reason to chip off a few minutes before the end of the half to beat the queues.

The people on this thread saying "if you can't go 45 minutes without a beer you have a problem" are completely missing the point. Of course people can go without but you wouldn't sit in a pub for 45 minutes without a drink if you didn't have to. Same applies for smoking, I'm sure most if not all smokers can go without for the entire duration of the game but they'll still nip out for a fag at half time. And no I'm not advocating allowing people to smoke in their seats before anyone accuses me of that.

As for the luzzing phenomenon then that could be easily prevented. Harsh penalties for people who do it. Those who want to avoid it completely then should avoid the north stand and they could make the family stand alcohol free in the seat.

And I don't buy people constantly going for a piss being an issue as people in front of me every game are constantly in and out of the bogs anyway.

Might have an issue at the Amex popping outside for a fag at HT

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Yes, but at the Amex?

Not at the Amex, but that wasn't specified.

I assume it's only an away end thing at certain grounds, there's only about four grounds around the country where I've been in the home end so I couldn't say. But in general, yes I've stood around outside football grounds at half time with a bunch of people who were having a fag. And (getting back to the point the poster who brought this up was actually making) those same smokers can undoubtedly cope for another 45minutes at those matches where it isn't an option.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Not at the Amex, but that wasn't specified.

I assume it's only an away end thing at certain grounds, there's only about four grounds around the country where I've been in the home end so I couldn't say. But in general, yes I've stood around outside football grounds at half time with a bunch of people who were having a fag. And (getting back to the point the poster who brought this up was actually making) those same smokers can undoubtedly cope for another 45minutes at those matches where it isn't an option.

Now that the away end has been moved at Southampton you can go outside at half time for a smoke and get straight back into the concourse. This year those who were desperate for an oily got suddenly and thoroughly soaked to the amusement of others in the dry concourse.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Now that the away end has been moved at Southampton you can go outside at half time for a smoke and get straight back into the concourse. This year those who were desperate for an oily got suddenly and thoroughly soaked to the amusement of others in the dry concourse.

Southampton was one of the places I had in mind, but I'm basically just imagining a car park outside a big tin shed, which describes about 95% of away ends, so wasn't sure.

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

Not at the Amex, but that wasn't specified.

I assume it's only an away end thing at certain grounds, there's only about four grounds around the country where I've been in the home end so I couldn't say. But in general, yes I've stood around outside football grounds at half time with a bunch of people who were having a fag. And (getting back to the point the poster who brought this up was actually making) those same smokers can undoubtedly cope for another 45minutes at those matches where it isn't an option.

It wasn't, but the initial comment, "I'm sure most if not all smokers can go without for the entire duration of the game but they'll still nip out for a fag at half time' ... kind of suggests that it's something that happens on a regular basis (and many of the comments re alcohol in the stands refer to stands at the Amex) - yet it seems to be just a very small number of away grounds (certainly not plenty). And of course St Marys won't be an option for next season unless we draw them in the cup.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

It wasn't, but the initial comment, "I'm sure most if not all smokers can go without for the entire duration of the game but they'll still nip out for a fag at half time' ... kind of suggests that it's something that happens on a regular basis (and many of the comments re alcohol in the stands refer to stands at the Amex) - yet it seems to be just a very small number of away grounds. And of course St Marys won't be an option for next season unless we draw them in the cup.

Well St Mary's is being replaced by Turf Moor, so that's one in and one out in that count.

But it just doesn't matter does it? It's a paragraph about how just because people would like the option to finish their drink in view of the pitch it doesn't make them a raving alcoholic. The point stands* whether there's one ground in the country or a thousand where it's possible to have a smoke at halftime.

* And if it doesn't, I'm sure there are better arguments than parochial concerns over what's possible at any single ground.

 

[Skuller]

Never seen it at German a games for example, and drinking in the srnads is allowed.

Not come across that German word. Is it “der Srnad”, “die Srnad” or “das Srnad”?

 

[Ali_rrr]

Excellent idea. We can take beer into the stands in Austria and I've never seen a beer luzzed. There's enough cameras in grounds, so if anyone luzzes a beer they should be banned.

Wow, Austrians really follow the rules. I don't think I've seen a game in The Netherlands where beers don't get launched onto the pitch and the game get stopped for 5 minutes.


It was used for good last night though as it helped stop the game so someone could receive medical attention.

Wedstrijd FC Utrecht stilgelegd door medische noodgevallen, publiek grijpt in

In stadion de Galgenwaard zijn vanavond twee personen onwel geworden op de tribune. In de slotfase van de wedstrijd tussen FC Utrecht en Sparta is daardoor het spel tot twee keer toe stilgelegd. Na de tweede keer vertrokken de teams naar de kleedkamer.

www.rtvutrecht.nl

 

[Ali_rrr]

Its very much an English phenomenon

I'm not really sure why people seem to "miss" it, since I first started to go to football in the early 80's I cannot ever remember ever seeing alcohol in the stands in those few year's before it was banned.

It's not.

Here, it's a constant problem. So much so the KNVB (Dutch FA) are doing their very best to stop it.

Voetbalclubs worstelen met aanpak biergooiers: ‘De scheidsrechter kan ook net doen of hij het niet ziet’

Wedstrijden stilleggen, netten ophangen of de biertap dichtdraaien? De KNVB en de voetbalclubs blijven zoeken naar manieren om biergooiers aan te pakken. ,,Maar een vreugdebiertje is wel iets anders dan een gericht projectiel.”

www.bd.nl

Also in Belgium:

Verbod op het gooien van bekers in het stadion

Een schrijnend en gevaarlijk fenomeen blijft zich voordoen op de tribunes tijdens onze thuiswedstrijden, nl. het gooien met drinkbekers. Ondanks sensibiliseringscampagnes van enkele jaren geleden, zien we dit respectloos gedrag opnieuw toenemen.

standard.be

It also happens in Germany:

Bierbecher-Wurf in Bochum: Folgen für Fußball-Bundesliga

Das Werfen von Bierbechern hat sich zu einem merkwürdigen Stadionritual entwickelt. Besonders verbreitet ist es in Bochum. Doch was kann man dagegen tun? Womöglich gibt es einen Effekt ohne Maßnahmen.

www.faz.net

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well St Mary's is being replaced by Turf Moor, so that's one in and one out in that count.

But it just doesn't matter does it? It's a paragraph about how just because people would like the option to finish their drink in view of the pitch it doesn't make them a raving alcoholic. The point stands* whether there's one ground in the country or a thousand where it's possible to have a smoke at halftime.

* And if it doesn't, I'm sure there are better arguments than parochial concerns over what's possible at any single ground.

Out of curiosity what other PL grounds allow you to pop out at HT for a ciggie

 

[Arthur]

Where do people go to have their half time fag?

No idea? Assume people can can’t they?

I don’t smoke so wouldn’t know. Looking at “sky from above” shots on sky there are loads of folk outside of most grounds. Aren’t people allowed to do that at the Amex?

 

[Arthur]

Might have an issue at the Amex popping outside for a fag at HT

Sorry didn’t know that wasn’t a thing.

 

[Barham's tash]

Absolutely no. I remember Barber talking about this on Albion Roar a few years ago and he was very much against it then….hopefully be still is.

Came onto this thread to refer exactly to this. There is no way this would be allowed by the Barber Fun Police.

Also people wouldn't throw crisp fivers up in the air at any slightly exciting opportunity so why do it with a crisp lager?!

I used to think allowing this would moderate people's intake as the problems tend to arise due to the stupid nature of the last five minutes before the game three pint bingers but now i've just decided we, as football fans in general, cannot be trusted at all.
-
I genuinely also think we as a club have a higher % of dickheads per 18-40 demographic for some reason .

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

No idea? Assume people can can’t they?

I don’t smoke so wouldn’t know. Looking at “sky from above” shots on sky there are loads of folk outside of most grounds. Aren’t people allowed to do that at the Amex?

At half time? Which is what we’re talking about here.

 

[A1X]

As for the luzzing phenomenon then that could be easily prevented. Harsh penalties for people who do it. Those who want to avoid it completely then should avoid the north stand and they could make the family stand alcohol free in the seat.

“If you don’t like us luzzing beer, go sit in the family stand”

Ah, nothing like making the home end a divisive, antagonistic place. “Your sort aren’t welcome in here” vibes.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Came onto this thread to refer exactly to this. There is no way this would be allowed by the Barber Fun Police.

Also people wouldn't throw crisp fivers up in the air at any slightly exciting opportunity so why do it with a crisp lager?!

I used to think allowing this would moderate people's intake as the problems tend to arise due to the stupid nature of the last five minutes before the game three pint bingers but now i've just decided we, as football fans in general, cannot be trusted at all.
-
I genuinely also think we as a club have a higher % of dickheads per 18-40 demographic for some reason .

Good points.

 

[A1X]

Of course people can go without but you wouldn't sit in a pub for 45 minutes without a drink if you didn't have to.

Maybe I’m unusual but I tend to go to a pub to drink and go to the football to watch the football. So the comparison makes no sense to me.

But maybe that’s just me.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

As for the luzzing phenomenon then that could be easily prevented. Harsh penalties for people who do it. Those who want to avoid it completely then should avoid the north stand and they could make the family stand alcohol free in the seat.

Woah, I’ve battled for twelve years “move the away fans to the north end of the East Stand”

I’ve defended the “loads of empty seats in the East Lower on 80 minutes”

Now I’m not allowed a feckin beer in my seat.

 

[PascalGroß Tips]

Maybe I’m unusual but I tend to go to a pub to drink and go to the football to watch the football. So the comparison makes no sense to me.

But maybe that’s just me.

It’s not just you - it’s me too

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It’s not just you - it’s me too

Me too. I guess we’re all different though. Some need 5-6 pints whilst watching the football. Same with going on holiday, I am able to turn up at the airport and fly….others need 18 pre-flight pints in the airside ‘spoons. What gives?