By Les Tan

It was announced recently that Budweiser have renewed their sponsorship of Manchester United for the 2009-10 season.

Alcoholic sponsorship of sports is wrong at a fundamental level. In the same way that tobacco advertising is now banned for sports – one cannot now imagine a Marlboro World Footballer of the Year – alcoholic advertising should be banned for the same reason.

In Singapore, alcohol and cigarettes are the only two items that attract tariffs, a recognition that overall, the impact of alcohol is negative. Sure, you read the odd scientific study here and there that a glass of red wine is good for your health but anyone who has been around will testify that it is the tendency for groups to veer towards binge drinking.

Putting alcoholic brand names on billboards and letting them sponsor English Premier League broadcasts on ESPN sends the wrong signal.

These alcoholic brands know that football gets the attention they seek, especially among the younger age-group.

Said Anheuser-Busch Vice president of global media and sports marketing: ”Manchester United represents the pinnacle of football and the club’s popularity, like Budweiser, spans the globe. As Budweiser continues to expand internationally, our connection with Manchester United helps create awareness and excitement for the brand around the world."

As far as Manchester United are concerned, they will take any cash from any sponsor as long it is legal. Sitting on a mountain of debt – £666 million (SGD1.7 billion) – they don’t have a choice. With the current global financial crisis, the owners of the club may want to start drinking Budweiser by the barrel if the creditors call back their loans.