Time to end the booze ban?
Photo by Stephan Mahlke on Unsplash
By Sean Docherty
Alcohol and football are two things that play a big role in Scottish culture but in the past when the two have been mixed, the results have been awful. Since being banned since 1981, selling alcohol at football games is a topic that has been debated ever since.
The ban was put in place in 1981 following the previous year’s Scottish Cup Final. In the final Celtic beat bitter rivals Rangers 1-0 but it wasn’t the football that was the main talking point of the day. The rioting between fans was what stole the headlines. It was a dark day for Scottish football and was a day that brought shame upon Scottish football itself.
In the past few days both Police Scotland and First Minister John Swinney have expressed opinions on the matter. Police Scotland have stated that they are open to discussions regarding the reintroduction of alcohol at football matches across the country. However, John Swinney insists that the ban will remain intact and that he is ‘not sympathetic’ about bringing alcohol back into the Scottish game.
Many people have been advocating for and against the reintroduction of alcohol at football matches comparing it to other sports and countries. One comparison people have made is with England. In English football fans are allowed to consume alcohol within the concourse but aren’t allowed to take it to their seats.
Looking a bit closer to home as well with Scottish Rugby, fans can buy alcohol within stadiums. This is largely down to the difference between the fan bases. The football fanbase tends to be a lot rowdier and causes more trouble than those at rugby grounds.
The only way to buy alcohol at Scottish grounds is if you are in a hospitality suite where there is often a bar serving alcoholic beverages. Most of the people going to these games however cannot afford or will not be willing to pay for this luxury.
An argument against the return of alcohol at Scottish venues can be talked about through the health crisis in Scotland. More than 2,800 people die of alcohol related deaths every year in Scotland. The introduction of alcohol at football venues could potentially cause these numbers to rise even more.
Ultimately the Scottish Government have stated that the matter is still under review. There is a possibility that alcohol will make a return to football stadiums, but it does seem uncertain when this will happen, if it goes through.