What should be on the shirt?
Kaitlin Dryburgh
The Six Nations is in full swing, and as a Scotland fan, it has, so far, not made for easy viewing. However, this is rarely a surprise in Scottish sport. Yet watching the recent matches got me thinking about the prevalence and importance of sponsorships.
The Six Nations has been sponsored by Guinness for many years, but in recent times, their most recognisable sponsorship product has been their 0% alcohol beer. This is a positive development. We know that the continued marketing of alcohol – or any other unhealthy product – increases consumption and, consequently, harm. In Scotland, this is more evident than in most places, with alcohol-related deaths and harms at a 15-year high, despite measures like minimum unit pricing (MUP). Our drinking culture could arguably be described as toxic. So, could we be doing more?
Interestingly, the official tournament name “Guinness Six Nations” is only used in five out of the six participating nations. This is because France has particularly strict laws concerning the marketing of alcohol. Since 1991, Évin’s Law has prohibited the promotion of alcohol at sporting events. As a result, the Stade de France pitch isn’t adorned with the Guinness logo, and any sports team sponsored by an alcohol brand must remove its logo from their strip when competing in France.
Alcohol marketing remains firmly entrenched in Scottish sport, simply because it works. If it didn’t, we would have followed France's lead a long time ago. The issue is that the alcohol industry invests large sums in lobbying efforts. Both the alcohol industry and public health advocates are aware that advertising leads to increased consumption. They target specific groups and use sport as a branding vehicle. It’s a lucrative business, which is why the likes of global drinks giant Pernod Ricard continues to diversify its investments in sports, such as its recent sponsorship of the Ferrari F1 team via its Scottish whisky brand, Chivas Regal. This echoes the era of James Hunt and tobacco giant Marlboro. In many ways, we’ve barely moved forward.
Even though Guinness has opted to promote its non-alcoholic beer, in the grand scheme of things, this change won’t make much of a difference.
Rugby may not be the sport most associated with alcohol use – that would probably have to go to Football. Restrictions on alcohol consumption at football matches are also more stringent. The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) came under fire last year for signing a multi-year deal with Carling beer. It’s ironic that they would endorse a product that is banned during the course of a football match.
Increasingly, fans are showing support for non-alcoholic sponsorships. The women’s football league has opted not to partner with alcohol brands, making the SPFL’s choice all the more puzzling.
In a country with such a problematic relationship with alcohol, it is astonishing that the government continues to champion MUP while allowing alcohol marketing to flourish in sport. It is little wonder that alcohol-related deaths remain high and that problem drinking continues to affect many lives.
But we cannot limit the conversation on sponsorship solely to alcohol. It is striking that sport, a healthy and positive activity, is often funded by some of the most harmful and unhealthy products.
In the past, tobacco companies were among the largest sponsors of sport until they were banned in 2005. Coca-Cola is still a major sponsor of the Olympics, and McDonald’s remained a key sponsor until 2017, ending a 41-year partnership.
Now, like alcohol, gambling is one of the most dominant and detrimental sponsors of sport. A range of betting companies, including Kindred Group, QuinnCasino, William Hill, and Dafabet, appear on the banners of Scottish football teams. However, Aberdeen FC has chosen not to stoop to this level and instead partners with oil companies.
Gambling is another lucrative industry, so it is understandable why a club or event might be tempted to accept a sponsorship deal from them. But problem gambling is not going away, regardless of how many “gamble responsibly” messages are plastered across advertising. Last year, it was reported that the number of young people with gambling problems had more than doubled in just one year.
Gambling addiction remains a largely hidden issue in society, unlike alcohol addiction, which is more easily tracked by health data, but nonetheless a potentially life-ruining condition. A report published by Glasgow University and the National Centre for Social Research revealed that 2.5% of the population have experienced problems with gambling – almost eight times more than previously thought. There is an encouraging consensus that problem gambling should be treated as a public health issue, yet its continued involvement in sport remains deeply concerning.
The English Premier League has decided it will ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsors from the summer of 2026. Unfortunately, the SPFL has already stated that it will not be following suit. A disappointing decision.
Although fans are aware of the financial impact such a move could have on their clubs, many support it, seeing it as a stance against promoting harmful products.
Alcohol and gambling sponsorship may feel embedded into sport now, but it really isn’t. When Tobacco was fighting for its life to still be allowed to sponsor sport they did everything in their power to convince us that sport wouldn’t survive without them.
It simply doesn’t make sense to promote harmful products in such a universally enjoyed and family-friendly arena as sport. If these companies are so eager to market their products, it’s clear that their tactics are working – but they are also creating problem users, many of whom will destroy their lives and hurt their families in the process.
Slogans like “Drinkaware” or “Gambleaware” won’t be enough. Marketers are clever, and weak restrictions and loopholes allow them to bypass safeguards in new and innovative ways.
It’s time to break the cycle and stop allowing sport to play a leading role in the promotion of harmful industries.