Alcohol policy in college football stadiums: Beyond law enforcement policy

Background: Public health and epidemiology scholars agree that alcohol policy is an important step in decreasing the health and safety issues accompanied with excessive alcohol consumption at college football games. While experts suggest specific policies as best practices and standards to help control alcohol abuse, a lack policy or enforcement can lead to injury, crime, and in worse cases, death at spectator sporting events. Methods: This study consists of qualitative semi-structured interviews of eight administrators who oversee football game day operations at seven college football stadiums using a case study approach as described by Yin (2009). Stadium administrators were interviewed to determine their perspectives of their rationale for the implementation, enforcement and effectiveness of specific stadium alcohol policies. Interviews were audio-recorded , transcribed, coded, and divided into common themes. Results: The interviews with college football administrators yielded following themes: Consumption containment and enforcement; differing policy development and enforcement; differences between off-campus and on-campus stadium policy and enforcement; alcohol sales versus alcohol prohibition in general seating; control; education; tradition and culture; and alcohol-related issues on game day. Conclusion: The themes can be explained theoretically by the constructs of Social Cognitive Theory. However, there was a sense of varying and often contradictory reasons for similar policies. Additionally, administrators believed that their policies were effective even though peer stadiums had conflicting policies with similar levels of excessive drinking behavior and crime. Presenters will discuss the qualitative themes, as well as implications of these data on stadium alcohol policies and enforcement.