Drinking and sporting events just seem to go hand-in-hand. Go to a Baltimore Ravens game in Maryland and you’ll see long lines to buy beer in the stadium, people tailgating before and during the game and the vendors who bring beer right to the seats.
Researchers now say that a significant amount of people consume so much alcohol —despite the overinflated prices — that their blood alcohol levels exceed the legal limit to drive. As many as 8 percent of the people in the stadium are over the legal limit of .08 BAC, according to a study done at the University of Minnesota.
Now, if you’ve ever bought alcohol at a game, you know how much it costs. You can pay $8 or $9 just for one light beer. You may think this plays a role in preventing the over-consumption of alcohol, and that’s partially true.
However, what it means is that people who tailgate are more likely to go over the legal limit. Tailgaters buy their beer before, at normal prices, and bring it with them. They’ll often show up and drink for hours before the game even begins, then for three more hours while it’s happening.
It’s worth noting that while fans at tailgate parties were more likely to be drunk, the majority of fans don’t tailgate. Only 18 percent were part of these gatherings, with the other 82 percent just going to the game itself.
If you were at a game, had too much to drink, and are now facing DUI charges, it’s very important to learn about all of the legal options that you have.
Source: Wired, “Who Knew? People Love to Drink at Sporting Events,” Erik Malinows, accessed Dec. 17, 2015
