Strategies for managing alcohol at large events in New Zealand

Abstract

This article proposes strategies that can be applied to eliminate or reduce alcohol-related problems when planning for large events at venues throughout New Zealand. It further recommends the development of an alcohol management plan specific to an event and its venue that identifies alcohol-related risks and details how the strategies proposed in this article will be implemented. Alcohol-related problems at large events including violence, anti-social behaviour and traffic-related offences are commonly reported in the media. An important approach to prevent and reduce such problems is the use of specific alcohol control strategies. The management of alcohol consumption is a major part of event management that must be planned with harmminimization strategies well in advance of the event itself. For some time, there has been a recognized need in New Zealand for nationally applicable strategies for managing alcohol at large events as well as a need for a nationally consistent and holistic planning approach with effective collaboration between all relevant stakeholders.

A Discrete Choice Experimental Approach to Understand Sports Event Tourists’ In-Stadium Beer Consumption Preferences

“…The negative MWTP value on the ALCOH attribute revealed that sports event tourists attending KBO league games were willing to pay KR₩84 if the alcohol content would decrease by 1%. The vast majority of previous studies (e.g., Lyne & Galloway, 2011; Merlo et al, 2010) have raised a public concern that consuming beverages with a higher alcohol percentage increase the likelihood of engaging in destructive fan behaviors. Nevertheless, our respondents exhibited their desires for sober attendance experience while drinking beer with lower alcohol.…”

“…Since sports event tourists often view alcohol, particularly beer, as a symbol of celebration, alcoholic beverages are available at stadium concession booths although some countries still prohibit in-stadium alcohol consumption due to their religious and cultural backgrounds (Lyne & Galloway, 2011). From the managerial perspectives, selling alcohol is an important revenue source for sports clubs (Mitchell & Montgomery, 2015).…”

“…Although the intake of alcoholic beverages is believed to be a ritual of sports consumption, earlier studies (e.g., Lyne & Galloway, 2011; Menaker & Connaughton, 2010) have paid much attention to developing different strategies for restricting sports event tourists’ alcohol consumption. Those studies have also made much effort to suggest useful policies for preventing spectators’ alcohol-related problematic behaviors during or after sporting events.…”