Michael ThornOur footy idols are now walking billboards for the alcohol industry.
Former Parramatta and NSW State of Origin player Steve Ella wrote to the National Rugby League (NRL) over a month ago with his concerns about the game he loves being awash with alcohol, but still hasn’t heard anything.
Steve, and his daughter Kristen, started a Change.org petition calling on NRL CEO Todd Greenberg to phase out alcohol sponsorship. Their #BoozeFreeSport petition has since been signed by thousands of Australians who firmly believe that alcohol and sports shouldn’t mix.
Yet, this is not a uniquely Australian problem. Big Alcohol Exposed is a global initiative dedicated to highlighting the effects alcohol sponsorship of sports has on children and is currently advocating for similar change in the English Premier League.
Today on Drink Tank, we look at their campaign #OutbidChang – the touching story of a local barbershop in Liverpool, North West England, who aspire to compete with alcohol industry heavyweight Chang Beer for a sponsorship deal with Everton FC.
FARE is a sponsor of Big Alcohol Exposed.
This David vs Goliath story is fronted by a small business, run by father and son who are much loved in their community.
Local barbershop owners Sean & Sean are aiming to replace one of the longest running sponsorships in Premier League – the deal between Everton FC and Chang Beer. Importantly, no other team in the league currently has a sponsorship deal with an alcohol brand.
Premier League, one of the world’s most popular sports leagues, is a premium platform for the industry to target kids through alcohol sponsorship. Chang Beer, a brand from a Thailand-based multinational corporation, has a long-term sponsorship deal with the Everton football team but this is due to be renegotiated after next season.
Doctors, public health advocates and community leaders have long called for a ban of alcohol sports sponsorships because evidence shows that the practice is fuelling alcohol use and alcohol-related harm among children and young people.
In the United Kingdom, children are more familiar with alcohol brands than with brands of biscuits – a fact that cannot be disconnected from the billion pound industry of sports sponsoring. Children who scored highest on familiarity with alcohol ads are more than four times more likely to take up binge alcohol consumption compared with low scoring peers.
Sean & Sean, father and son and Everton fans for generations, think that it’s high time to protect children from alcohol promotion in sports. They’re keen to take on the challenge to remove the last alcohol brand from the shirts of Premier League football heroes.
Sean the older is the owner of The Barber Club business, and Sean the younger is trained to be a barber. Both Sean’s are huge Everton supporters, and their barbershop is located just down the street from Everton’s home stadium Goodison Park.
It would be a dream come true for Sean & Sean to see the logo of their beloved, local barbershop on the shirts of their favourite team instead of that of a global alcohol company.
The latest three-year sponsorship deal between Everton FC and Chang Beer was worth approximately £16 million. To realise their dream – and to be able to challenge multinational beer brand Chang with a market capitalisation in excess of US$4 billion – Sean & Sean started a crowdfunding campaign at Indiegogo to reach a matching sum.
The #OutbidChang campaign highlights that there are better alternatives than kids’ heroes being billboards for alcohol brands.
Sean & Sean want to inspire the local community, Everton FC supporters, and people around the world to support their cause.
Although it is an aspirational goal for a small family business, the most important thing is to shine a light on the fact that alcohol sponsorship fuels alcohol harms and negatively impacts on children. #OutbidChang wants to tell this story and start an important conversation about the unethical business practices of the alcohol industry.
If you would like to support the campaign, there are still a few days left to visit the Indiegogo crowdfunding page and make a donation. Every dollar (or pound) can make a difference.
You can also download the campaign graphics, share the video, promote the cause among your networks, and join the conversation on social media at #OutbidChang.
Let’s shape communities where kids can be kids.
Everton fans, of all ages, should be able to enjoy football free from alcohol marketing.
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The Conversation: Cutting alcohol ads in sport sends the right message to youngsters
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