The contested terrain of alcohol sponsorship of sport in New Zealand

Kieran Cody , Steve Jackson

University of Otago

2014

International Review for the Sociology of Sport

Steve Jackson, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9015, New Zealand. Email: steve.jackson@otago.ac.nz

This  study  examines  the  politics  and  policy  implications  of  alcohol  sponsorship  of  sport  in New  Zealand.  Specifically,  it  draws  on  the  recommendations  of  the  2010  New  Zealand  Law Commission  report  titled  Alcohol  in  our  lives:  Curbing  the  harm,  which  called  for  the  gradual elimination of all alcohol sponsorship from New Zealand sport. Using a multi-method approach, the paper examines the contested terrain of the alcohol–sport relationship, that is, the nature of  the  relationship  and  its  potential  impact  on  the  nation’s  binge  drinking  culture,  how  it  is regulated by both states and sport organisations within the international community and, finally, the perspectives of key stakeholders in the debate. The views of key stakeholders offer insights into the nature of competing interests at play within the alcohol–sport sponsorship relationship. Overall, the findings highlight the challenges of social change and the need for more research and a community-based, multidimensional approach that is reinforced through regulation.

Keywords:

alcohol, contested terrain, social policy,

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Mixed-method

National

Journal

Published

Sport

Delivery, Impacts- social, Management, Policy

1861

September 9, 2014