Should we again authorize the sale of alcohol in sports arenas to save the economy of sport? The Senate indeed proposes to review the regulations and to soften the Evin law which, since 1991, also prohibits advertising for alcoholic drinks and cigarettes in all sports arenas. A proposal whose stake is economic since it would help French sport hard hit by the health crisis linked to Covid-19.
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Estimated revenues between 30 and 50 million for football clubs
This report is based on an observation: 84% of sports structures, clubs, or even associations were forced to stop everything from mid-March, the date on which confinement entered into force. Also, since then, it has been impossible to go to the swimming pool, to play football, rugby, basketball ... In the sole case of football, the losses are estimated at 600 million euros. And for senators, this should not work out if the camera, even partial, was imposed in stadiums or in halls.
The idea is therefore to relax the Evin law on two points: authorize the sale of alcohol throughout the season, provided that the drinks do not exceed the limit of 18 ° alcohol, but also also authorize advertise it on jerseys. Thus, a beer brand could become a "jersey sponsor". In terms of economic benefits, if we take the example of professional clubs, this would bring in between 30 and 50 million euros to each of them.
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Regularly attacked, the Evin law had already been the subject of attempts to relax. Just last year, majority deputies addressed the issue, but were met with the refusal of the Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn and the Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu.