Drinking in the Stands: A New Chapter for Women's Football, But at What Cost?

Drinking in sight of the pitch has been banned in the top five tiers of English men’s football for decades. The prohibition was first introduced in 1985 to attempt to curb football hooliganism that marred the sport during the 1970s and 1980s. This ban has been credited with contributing to the safer, more family-friendly environment in modern English football.

A pilot scheme was announced in October that a trial allowing drinking in the stands will begin at selected Women's Championship games. The trial will begin with Bristol City, Southampton, Birmingham, and Newcastle will allow fans to drink alcohol in sight of the pitch at certain fixtures, taking place at Ashton Gate, St Andrew’s, Kingston Park, and St Mary's. While this is a significant step forward in terms of fan experience and revenue generation, it also requires careful reflection on the broader implications to the game.

The trial begins on the January 19th when Bristol City face the London City Lionesses and Southampton face Sunderland. A week later of January 26th, Birmingham play Bristol City and Newcastle face Portsmouth.

Nikki Doucet, CEO of Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), spoke about the supporters of the women's game saying that "I think our fan base and the behaviour is different [than the men's game], and I think ultimately it's about being able to give our fans choices, while obviously maintaining the safety and what we need to do in terms of being responsible."

The women’s game, in general, has garnered a reputation for being more family-friendly and less prone to the sort of disruptive behaviours historically associated with the men’s game. Doucet’s optimism about the differences in fan culture may be valid, but we should not overlook the potential pitfalls of bringing alcohol back into the stands of football stadiums.

The Case Against Drinking in the Stands

Firstly, the game of football itself is relatively short in comparison to other sports like American football, where the nature of the game—full of stoppages, breaks and crowd involvement—allows for an integrated drinking culture. In contrast, a football match lasts 90 minutes, with no intermissions beyond a 15 minute halftime break. This makes drinking during the match potentially disruptive, especially given the cramped and often overcrowded nature of stadium stands. Fans who drink in their seats may need to repeatedly leave to buy drinks or use the restroom, potentially disturbing the flow of the game and those around them. In larger stadiums, where crowd management and logistics are already a challenge, this could exacerbate the problem.

The layout of many grounds is geared more towards quick access to concourses and facilities for matchgoers, rather than the sort of constant traffic flow that drinking in the stands would necessitate. Given that women's football is still in a phase of rapid growth and often plays in more intimate, lower-capacity venues, there’s a risk that this trial might be implemented too hastily without fully considering the logistical challenges.

The Potential Upside: Revenue for Growth

On the other hand, there’s no denying the potential positive financial impact this move could have on women’s football. With the game still growing in popularity and investment, additional revenue from alcohol sales could significantly benefit the clubs involved and, by extension, the broader development of the league. Due to the Football Association (FA) of England banning women's football from 1921 to 1971, the women's game has lagged behind the men's game in terms of viewership. The ban prevented women's teams from playing on FA-affiliated grounds. This ban came about as the FA, at the time, believed that football was 'unsuitable for females'.

In a time when many sports are trying to attract younger, more engaged audiences, allowing fans to enjoy a drink while watching the game could make football feel more modern and accessible. It could enhance the atmosphere and create a sense of community in the stands, offering a more relaxed and social experience, especially at lower league levels where fans are often more connected to the club.

The Long-Term Risks

However, the broader implications of this trial must be carefully considered, particularly if it succeeds and is rolled out across the other women’s leagues. Football in the UK is still recovering from decades of alcohol-fueled violence and rowdiness, a culture that, thankfully, has been reduced in recent years. The Premier League and Championship, which were once infamous for hooliganism, have managed to maintain a more family-friendly environment, and the idea of reintroducing alcohol in the stands in such an environment is a delicate issue.

The trial of drinking in the stands in the women’s game raises the unsettling possibility that the practice could eventually bleed into the men’s game, if it proves to be successful in the women’s leagues. Doing so could undermine the hard-fought progress made in cleaning up the image of football, reopening the door to unruly behaviour and potentially resurrecting a level of hooliganism that has been largely absent in recent years.

A Fine Line to Walk

Ultimately, the success or failure of this trial will depend largely on how it is implemented and monitored. If it’s introduced thoughtfully and responsibly, with careful attention paid to crowd management and fan safety, it could enhance the fan experience and generate additional revenue. But it’s also important to recognise that women’s football is not a completely different world from the men’s game. It shares the same passionate fanbase, the same societal influences, and, increasingly, the media spotlight. If the trial goes well, it could potentially become a test case for a wider rollout of alcohol consumption in the stands, both in the women’s game and perhaps eventually in the men’s.

For now, I remain hesitant. The move to allow drinking in the stands may be good for the game financially, but the impact on fan behaviour and the long-term effects on football culture must not be underestimated. The women’s game has a unique opportunity to shape its own identity, and this trial - while promising in some respects, could introduce challenges that we’re not yet prepared to face. It’s a fine line between growing the sport responsibly and risking a return to an atmosphere that the FA has worked hard to move away from.