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Tell the NCAA to Lose the Booze
Each year, 1,700 college students are killed, 500,000 are injured, and 70,000 are sexually assaulted in alcohol-fueled events. Almost half of all alcohol use reported by college students is by underage drinkers. At the same time, colleges make money from the alcohol industry buying advertising time during televised college sporting events.
Pitching beer to students and other young fans is not only inconsistent with the mission of higher education, but also undercuts the needed alcohol prevention measures taking place on campuses today.
Call on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCA) Board of Directors to end their cozy relationship with the beer industry, which spent more than $52 million on beer ads on college sports telecasts in 2003 alone.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Please end NCAA beer ads
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
When the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Board of Directors reviews the Association's policies on alcohol on April 28, I strongly urge you to work to eliminate beer advertisements on broadcasts of NCAA sports.
College presidents know too well the many negative consequences from underage and binge drinking. That is why it is surprising that colleges support pitching beer to students and other young fans during televised sporting events. Not only is this counter to the educational mission of colleges and universities, but it undercuts the prevention measures being taken on campuses today. There is a fundamental disconnect between a university's commitment to reduce the incidence of and harms from binge and underage drinking and allowing alcohol ads on its sports broadcasts.
As a member of the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, you are in a unique leadership position. I urge you to work to revise the NCAA's alcohol policies to prohibit the advertising of all alcoholic beverages, including beer, the principal beverage of choice of most college students and underage drinkers. Help get the NCAA out of the business of marketing beer to college students and other young fans.
I look forward to your leadership on this critical and timely issue. Thank you.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
April 21, 2005
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On April 28, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Board of Directors (see full list below) will meet in Indianapolis, IN. The NCAA has announced that a review of the Association’s alcohol policies will be on the agenda. Alcohol advertisements on college sports broadcasts are inconsistent with the mission of higher education. The NCAA Board should adopt a policy to end beer advertisements during NCAA broadcasts for the following reasons:
- Alcohol causes pervasive and serious problems on college campuses today. Each year, 1,700 college students are killed, 500,000 are injured, and 70,000 are sexually assaulted in alcohol-fueled events. In 2002 alone, more than 10 celebratory riots and campus disturbances caused by inebriated sports fans disrupted colleges across America. Almost half of all alcohol use reported by college students is attributable to those who are underage.
- The NCAA’s current policy prohibits ads for distilled spirits but allows ads of beverages with an alcohol content of up to 6 percent alcoholic content by volume, i.e., beer. In 2003, brewers spent more than $52 million on beer ads on college sports telecasts — $21 million of that on the NCAA basketball broadcasts alone. In 2001 and 2002, more beer ads ran on the NCAA broadcasts than during the World Series, all college football bowl games, the Super Bowl, and NFL Monday Night Football combined.
- The NCAA advertising policy states that ads should be “in the best interests of higher education.” Pitching beer to students and other young fans during NCAA games counters the educational mission of the NCAA and its member colleges and undercuts the many costly prevention measures taken on those campuses today. There is a fundamental disconnect between a university’s commitment to reduce incidence of and harms from binge and underage drinking and allowing alcohol ads on college sports broadcasts.
The Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV, a project of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, is working to end beer ads during college sports broadcasts. 228 NCAA schools have signed our College Commitment, a pledge to prohibit alcohol advertising on locally produced college sports telecasts and to work within their athletic conferences and the NCAA to end all alcohol advertising on college sports.
To learn more about the Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV, visit: http://www.beerfreesportstv.org
NCAA Division I Board of Directors
Chairman: Robert Hemenway, Chancellor, University of Kansas
Clinton Bristow, President, Alcorn State University (MS)
Benjamin Ladner, President, American University (DC)
John Welty, President, California State University -- Fresno
Wayne Clough, President, Georgia Tech
Carol Cartwright, President, Kent State University (OH)
Steve Flatt, President, Lipscomb University (TN)
Sidney McPhee, President, Middle Tennessee State U.
Randy Webb, President, Northwestern State U. (LA)
Martin Jischke, President, Purdue University -- West Lafayette (IN)
Scott Cowen, President, Tulane University (LA)
Peter Likins, President, University of Arizona
John White, Chancellor, University of Arkansas -- Fayetteville
Philip Austin, President, University of Connecticut
Daniel Curran, President, University of Dayton (OH)
Walter Harrison, President, University of Hartford (CT)
Philip Dubois, President, University of Wyoming
Donald Beggs, President, Wichita State University (KS)
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