Study: Spirits Abound Among College Sports Fans

BOSTON -- A new study found that college sports and drinking go hand in hand.

The Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study surveyed more than 14,000 college students in 39 states, and found that sports fans binge drink more often than non-fans.

The study, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, found that 53 percent of sports fans usually binge when they drink. In constrast, 41 percent of male non-fans and 37 percent of female non-fans binge drink.

The results will be published in the January/February issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors.

"We know that student athletes binge drink more than non-athletes," said lead author Toben Nelson. "But, until now, no one has taken a systematic look at fans. It turns out that fans are similar to athletes in their extreme drinking behavior, and that behavior has played out the last few weeks in the form of riots after a game win or loss."

The researchers define binge drinkers as men who have five or more drinks in a row at least once within two weeks, or women who have four or more drinks.

The study also found that schools with larger proportions of fans are more likely to have high rates of binge drinking. Thus, large numbers of students suffer the second-hand effects of others' drinking, such as being assaulted, having study time disrupted, or property vandalized.

Because of their heavier drinking, the study says sports fans are more likely to experience problems including legal difficulties, sexual violence and problems with their school work.

The researchers suggest the intoxicated fan base may be to blame for crowd riots at college sports events, such as the recent riots at an Ohio State University football game, and riots last year at a University of Maryland basketball game.

"The strong tie of sports to a heavy drinking lifestyle at American colleges is no accident," said Henry Wechsler, lead researcher of the study. "It has taken many millions of dollars in advertising at sports events and ongoing financial support of sports programs at many colleges over many decades to forge that link. Colleges should think twice before allowing it to continue."

But Beer Institute president Jeff Backer said evidence shows advertising doesn't cause non-drinkers to drink or cause people to drink more.