Surfing Australia drops alcohol sponsorship
Surfing Australia has abandoned alcohol brand sponsorship to promote an anti binge-drinking message as part of a government sponsored campaign.
By signing onto the Be the Influence – Tackling Binge Drinking initiative, Surfing Australia will address youth binge drinking and the influence of alcohol promotion on young Australians by promoting an anti-binge drinking message.
Be the Influence will have naming rights to two new national events and state events run by Surfing Australia such as the upcoming Be the Influence Queensland Master’s and Women’s Surfing Series commencing May 18.
A spokesman for Surfing Australia said the move is “quite significant for the organisation,” a as alcohol brands have sponsored their events in the past.
Surfing Australia CEO Andrew Stark said: “This is a monumental partnership for our sport and will provide a serious boost to our various programs Australia-wide.
“Importantly the powerful anti-binge drinking message that we will promote to our surfing community is something we all believe in.
“The partnership has touchpoints across our entire organisation from grassroots to elite. We are extremely appreciative of the support and look forward to a fantastic partnership.”
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) world tour competitors Owen Wright and Sally Fitzgibbons have become Be the Influence Surfing Ambassadors.
However large surfing events managed by the ASP and organisations other than Surfing Australia will not signed onto the Be the Influence brand.
Surfing Australia joins 14 other sports now part of the Be the Influence initiative.
well done, brave move.
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Well done Surfing Australia.
It’s a great pity more organisations didn’t put ethics before dollars. But surfers always were good guys. Come on AFL and NRL, how about giving gambling the boot?
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A masters event and some obscure female surf competiton?
Doesnt seem to be a big step forward when the likes of Corona, Carlton Dry and Jim Beam have surfing sponsored events and clubs in Australia on a much bigger scale.
Wasnt it this organisation only last year who took a big lick of cash from VB?
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This is great news. Well done guys and I agree with Graham. All sporting codes should take note of this and start truly looking at how ethical their codes really are.
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What about Jim Beam SurfTag??? If it wasn’t for Jim Beam it wouldn’t exist.
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Graham, according to this article CUB claim the opposite.
“… Jennifer Howard is Media Relations Manager at CUB and her response to the Surfing Australia situation is illuminating. “As business partners we could understand why they would take substantially more money offered from a Government Agency so we were happy to stand aside.”…”
http://www.swellnet.com.au/new.....eally-care
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