Here's something that happened at Monday night's Flyers-Bolts game that escaped notice until today:
The Tampa Bay Lightning is hoping to tap into larger crowds by offering unlimited free beer to season ticket holders.But the sudsy sale may not reach its goal if safe-driving advocates have their way.
Police and several area chapters of Mothers Against Drunk Driving say the hockey team's offer is irresponsible.
"Why attach alcohol to a season-ticket plan? It's almost encouraging people to drink more than they should because it is free," said Sgt. Chris Velar, who runs the Police Department's drunken driving squad.
During the first Eastern Conference playoff game between the Lightning and the Philadelphia Flyers (news) Saturday, the St. Pete Times Forum's main scoreboard advertised the offer. Those who paid $100 toward 2004-05 season tickets were eligible for unlimited free beer during the game.
About 25 of the 21,000 people at the game signed up for season tickets, said team spokesman Bill Wickett.
People who are already intoxicated aren't served beer and free taxi rides are provided to patrons who believe they have had too much to drink, Wickett said.
First off, I love how the AP reporter starts the story with a lede that's horribly misleading, and then gives a couple of anti-drinking advocates a first shot at commenting. As you can see for yourself, the offer wasn't to give unlimited beer to season ticket holders through the entire home schedule, but rather to simply give free beer to them for the rest of the game after they placed a deposit down on tickets for next season -- where they would presumably have to pay for their beer each and every time.
If anything, the Lightning are treating their patrons like responsible adults, and acting as a responsible corporate citizen by providing free taxis to anyone who gets intoxicated at the game. Thanks to reader Dave Smith for the link.
Somehow I don’t see giving 25 people free beer as a menace to society.
….and free cab rides. that’s the deal of the century.
Police or temperance union?
After going to the Tuesday Night Fights between Cub and Sox fans at last nights Sox-Oriole game, I am glad the White Sox did not make this offer to those in attendance.
The White Sox over crank to their fans…well, only the ones who sit close to the first base line, I guess.
I suppose no one listened to Jim Rome’s show today where he blasted the policy in one his usual 15 minute tirades. I felt he was completely overreacting–98% of drinkers would be able to handle this policy–and was taking his trademark stance that all sports (hockey?) fans are drunks and would ruin the event by driving drunk, being stupid, etc. Has Rome ever been to a Flyers game? =)
He then spent several minutes talking about how foolish the TB organization was for instituting the policy and mocking the fact they had trained their beer sellers to recognize drunken fans.
The problem with having a show where your fans are called “clones”, I suppose, is the only way to get on the air (either e-mail or by phone) is to repeat what the host says in a funnier way.
I’d love to hear of all the fatalities as a result of this promotion. Oh wait; there weren’t any.
WHO CARES? This just in: Goalie-fight!!!!! With commentary!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com/multimedia/files/Chiodo_Fight.rm
Hey, at least it wasn’t “10 Cent Beer Night”.
GO TRIBE!
Tampa’s organization just ended this promotion…based again, on the ire of sportswriters, MADD and other organizations who want to tell others how to live their lives. It really steams me to hear Rome talk about this promotion like its akin to “giving away heroin or razor blades.” Give me a freakin’ break here. It’s beer. We’re supposed to be responsible adults here…well, apparently Tampa hockey fans aren’t responsible because Jim Rome and others say so. Ridiculous.