ESA statement on Alcohol Sponsorship

9 September 2009. In a press release the European Sponsorship Association (ESA), which represents the sponsorship industry, has strongly defended sponsorship by alcohol brands and insisted that a ban would seriously damage the sponsorship industry, sport and other areas currently supported by the alcohol industry.

The press release stated that the alcohol sector is currently the 5th largest in the sponsorship industry and if this vital support was to disappear, essential funding for several events would disappear with it.

A pan-European survey amongst sports and cultural rights holders and governing bodies was completed earlier this year by ESA. The results showed according to ESA that there was widespread self-regulation, with most bodies having their own policy on how they worked with any sponsor to promote responsible drinking.

ESA reiterated that sponsorship can offer many advantages to sports clubs - from support at grassroots to the most elite clubs - and cultural groups and that with the industry so well self-regulated and alcohol companies using their campaigns to promote responsible drinking, society can receive many benefits from their support.