PFT: League looks to curb binge drinking

[WoodysGirl]

Posted by Mike Florio on August 23, 2009 10:49 PM ET

At the same time the NFL is selling a portable ping pong table that anyone with an ounce of common sense (or eight ounces of suds) realizes is actually a beer pong table, the league also hopes to restrict the extent to which the thing will actually be used on game day.

Per Michael McCarthy of USA Today, the NFL wants teams to take steps to limit access to booze.

According to McCarthy, the league has recommended that the 32 teams (and 31 stadiums in which they play) limit tailgating to 3.5 hours before games, and to do a better job of monitoring and enforcing rules against excessive alcohol consumption in stadium parking areas.

(Maybe they should just insert a tracking chip in each of those officially licensed ping pong tables.)

McCarthy reports that the league also wants teams to limit customers to no more than two 20-ounce beers, or one 24-ounce beer, per transaction. Teams also will print the following message on most cups of beer: "Fans don't let fans drive drunk."

We approve the efforts, but we've been to enough games to know that the NFL has a better chance of overtaking soccer as the top sport outside the U.S. than it does eradicating the drunks from American football stadiums.

But, hey, if one less drunken yay-hoo is on the highway after a game, the efforts are worth every second and cent devoted to them.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Somebody's gonna have to help me on this binge drinking thing because I always thought it was one of those college things with the surprise punch in the bathtub mixed in with the kegs. But I think I heard if you consume more than four drinks or beers at any one sitting that is considered binge drinking?

So, if you take the ounces per beer and divide that by one of the big ones in the stadium, plus socializing in the parking lot even if you have a couple...I'm guessing we have a lot of binge drinkers here. We'll get some guys together on Sunday at the sports bar and have two or three pitchers, so according to the rules we are all statistics. Even if it's once a week? Geez.

Last thing, I don't know what the league can do about the all day drinking sprees in parking lots but I saw it first hand in Buffalo at the Monday night game and it was damn scary walking to your car after the game. I can't imagine Philly on a Monday night.

 

[Biggems]

since I don't consume alcoholic beverages......this announcement is not directed towards me....but the rest of you alcoholics need to get your passes to Betty Ford....ya bunch of lushes:laugh2:

 

[theogt]

There's a full bar about every 20 feet in Cowboys Stadium. It was a bit surprising, in a good way.