Kieran Craig Cody
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The Contested Terrain of Alcohol Sponsorship of Sport and Social Policy in New Zealand Kieran Craig Cody A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Physical Education (MPhEd) At the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand School of Physical Education Te Kura Mahi-a-korikori Division of Sciences Te Rohi a Ahikaroa University of Otago Te Whare Wananga o Otago ` PO BOX 56, DUNEDIN NEW ZEALAND Abstract This thesis investigates the effects, consequences and contested terrain emerging from alcohol sponsorship of sport in New Zealand. Drawing from the 2010 New Zealand Law Commission report addressing the alcohol issue in New Zealand, this research examined the sport sponsorship debate in relation to one specific recommendation calling for a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sport as part of a three stage process; (1) implementation of regulations based on Loi Evin in France, where sport sponsorship and advertising is banned from sporting arenas and visual mediums; (2) prohibition on alcohol advertising where 10% of participants are under the legal drinking age, including sporting arenas and (3) the eventual complete removal of alcohol sponsorship of sport. Located within a cultural studies framework and employing a qualitative, multi- method approach including document analysis and interviews with key stakeholders, the results highlight the contested terrain of varying interests within particular sectors of New Zealand. Three key findings emerged: (1) alcohol companies have a long history of sponsoring sport and became more powerful following the banning of tobacco sponsorship of sport; (2) the issue of alcohol sponsorship of sport is a contested terrain where particular interest groups (e.g. alcohol companies, sport organisations, alcohol regulatory bodies and concerned citizens) offer different, often competing, perspectives (3) While many interest groups argue that alcohol sponsorship is the ‘lifeblood’ of sport there are both New Zealand and international examples (including Loi Evin in France) that demonstrate that sports need not be dependent on alcohol funding for survival. Overall, the study highlights how public policy issues serve as contested terrains of political, economic and cultural debate. ii Acknowledgements It would not have been possible to write this thesis without the help and support of a number of people around me. Firstly, to Professor Steve Jackson, an immense thanks for providing me, not only with the original idea for this project, but for all the hard work and support as I have slowly, but surely put pen to paper. Thank you also for all the editing and the time you have given to chat about the project or just life in general. To Dr Mike Sam, thanks for all the help you provided, particularly in the early stages of my post grad studies and during the proposal period. A great deal of thanks to the individuals who took the time to participate in my interviews, this time afforded to me was greatly appreciated. Additionally, to those who could not participate for various reasons, thank you for taking the time to consider my requests. To Bex and Scott and Sam and Erin. Thanks heaps for the accommodation during my interview process, it was an absolute pleasure. To Mum, Dad, Brendan and Anna, thanks for being an absolute champion of a family! I could not have done any of this without you guys around. To Cath and Ian, many thanks for all the meals and kind hospitality over the years – and thank you Cath for bothering to read my early drafts, and without complaint! To Sarah; thanks for all the support, injury treatment and motivational speeches as the finishing date was pushed further and further into 2012. We can finally put this chapter to bed! iii Table of Contents Abstract .....................................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................iii Table of contents ......................................................................................................................iv List of tables..............................................................................................................................vi CHAPTER 1: New Zealand’s Drinking Culture .......................................................................1 Alcohol in our lives: Curbing the harm (2010).....................................................................3 Rationale................................................................................................................................6 Significance...........................................................................................................................9 Thesis Structure...................................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 2: Review of Literature.........................................................................................15 Early History of Alcohol in Society....................................................................................16 A Brief History of Alcohol in New Zealand.......................................................................18 Sport Sponsorship................................................................................................................21 Alcohol and Tobacco: Reviewing the issues.......................................................................25 Consumption...............................................................................................................26 Marketing Alcohol & Tobacco..................................................................................27 Regulations..................................................................................................................29 The Tobacco, Sport, Sponsorship relationship....................................................................31 The Move to Ban Tobacco Sponsorship..............................................................................35 Sport, Sponsorship and Alcohol: Historical Mix.................................................................37 Modern Alcohol Sponsorship..............................................................................................43 Regulation of Alcohol Sponsorship.....................................................................................54 Alcohol Regulation in New Zealand...................................................................................59 CHAPTER 3: Ingredients for Analysis....................................................................................64 Cultural Studies...................................................................................................................65 Cultural Studies and Sport...................................................................................................67 iv The Socio-Historical Approach...........................................................................................68 Discourse.............................................................................................................................70 Research Strategy................................................................................................................72 CHAPTER 4: New Zealand’s Drinking Culture......................................................................75 The Cultural Significance of Tobacco and Sport................................................................77 Alcohol’s Current New Zealand Context............................................................................85 Change the Culture..............................................................................................................87 Alcohol Based Sporting Economy......................................................................................95 Regulating Recommendations.............................................................................................99 More Than Just a Game: An Alternative to the Alcohol Based Sporting Economy?.......104 CHAPTER 5; Conclusion......................................................................................................107 The Locus of Alcohol Sponsorship...................................................................................109 Change the culture, not the sponsorship................................................................109 The lifeblood of New Zealand sport........................................................................111 Alcohol and Sport: ‘More than just a game’.........................................................112 Constraints, Limitations and Future Research...................................................................113 Final Thoughts...................................................................................................................114 References..............................................................................................................................117 Appendix A: Sample Interview Letter...................................................................................135 Appendix B: Consent Form for Participants..........................................................................136 v List of Tables Table 1: National sport stars’ alcohol related incidents...........................................................51 Table 2: International sport stars’ alcohol related incidents.....................................................52