[Drinking] Does beer improve your matchday experience?

[BrightonCottager]

The furore over removal of beer from the Qatar WC stadia concourses concentrated my mind on this question.

 

[Springal]

Question doesn’t really match the reason .

Can I live with drinking before / after a game - but not having a beer at a stadium. Yes

Could I regularly not drink at all at any point on a match day, possibly but wouldn’t be my preference

 

[Soton Seagull]

it did when Sami was in charge!

 

[B-right-on]

Don't drink at football.

I either go on my bike or P&R so don't drink and drive at all.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Now we're back in the Prem with early kick offs I find I can get just as aroused with a couple of coffees inside me as a few pints of ale. And coffee is a nicer accompaniment to Victoria Sponge.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If I’m going for some lunch before a home game I will. Otherwise for routine home games I rarely, if ever, do. I do like a pint or two after though.

Away games I do like to check out a local pub and beer scene but nothing too crazy. I like to concentrate on the game and find too many beers affects this.

 

[GOM]

Depends if we win or not

 

[beorhthelm]

socially we generally like a drink. football is a social event and in social setting people tend to like a drink. this isnt a unique British trait, or football for that matter. there was a bit about the Ecuadorians singing about wanting a beer yesturday. doesnt mean everyone drinks, always drinks or drinks to excess, but its definatly a major part of football.

btw bit of switch, different question between title and poll.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

it did when Sami was in charge!

I preferred heroin during that era.

 

[GT49er]

Never drunk - or eaten - at football. Back in the 1960s, when I first started going, I never even thought about it as part of the football experience. Not that I don't drink - I do, but just never at football.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Now we're back in the Prem with early kick offs I find I can get just as aroused with a couple of coffees inside me as a few pints of ale. And coffee is a nicer accompaniment to Victoria Sponge.

Typical Fulham . I guess those of you who do booze enjoy washing down your artisan quinoa salad with an nice NIPA.

I voted "Yes" but it's not, perhaps, accurate. I enjoy it more with my friends and football for me is a social occasion both before and after the game as well as during. So, if I'm in a pub or on the concourse with friends then I will definitely have a beer.

Thinking back BC (Before Covid) when I was actually fit I regularly went 'dry' for long-ish periods before big running events and would never have booze on the Saturday before a Sunday long training run. It probably coincided with my son being younger and needing looking after anyway. It would still be very much a social occasion but I'd not necessarily drink.

Now, however? Right now I'm very much enjoying going back to how I first started watching football and having a few beers before and after games.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I do like a tea and a piece of chocolate at halftime though.

 

[sparkie]

Very much so.

Part of "the day out".

 

[BLOCK F]

Never used to drink at football, was always driving, but had a drink in my local when I got home.

 

[maltaseagull]

I went to the Villa match and took my Grandson. The queue was quite long at just not moving in the East Upper before, at half time and afterwards so we didn't have anything to drink or eat. He was starving when we got back to Central Brighton though!

 

[banjo]

it did when Sami was in charge!

 

[Normal Rob]

If i'm at a non league game, where you can get to both the bar and the loos easily, then I'll often have a couple. Anywhere where you are restricted to a seat, and have to queue for the loo, then i'll leave it.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

I quit drinking about 3 years ago and my first match without a drink (read - pissed) was like an out of body experience. Everything was suddenly in HD.

 

[dazzer6666]

The hype and wailing over not being able to have a beer in the stadium is ridiculous IMO - was always going to be an issue in a dry state, anyone travelling there should have been prepared (doesn't excuse FIFA moving the goalposts at the last minute though, shambolic on their part)

 

[Springal]

The hype and wailing over not being able to have a beer in the stadium is ridiculous IMO - was always going to be an issue in a dry state, anyone travelling there should have been prepared (doesn't excuse FIFA moving the goalposts at the last minute though, shambolic on their part)

I agree - and originally it was never going to be in the stadium anyway. However The FA held a Q&A with travelling fans and a representative from the Qatar Supreme Committee did say this in October:

Question 7:
“Naturally, alcohol is a big topic. What can you tell us about the access fans will get to alcohol throughout their stay in Qatar?”

Supreme Committee: Alcohol will be available in designated areas such as hotels and fan zones, also within the stadiums. Stadium availability will be 3 hours prior to the match for all games and 1 hour post-match. Availability at fan zones will be from 6:30pm until 1am. Hotel’s alcohol servings will beavailable under their own discretion at the individual hotel’s closing times.
Budweiser is the alcohol sponsor for fan zones. We are awaiting confirmation for official prices and expect to have the information soon. It will not be difficult to get alcohol in Doha. Lots of hotels (which will be integrated into people’s daily life during their stay) will have alcohol available. It will not be as inaccessible as the media makes out. There will be no ‘off licenses. Alcohol is expensive as it’s not part of the culture.