AMA: Ban Booze Ads at NCAA Events
The American Medical Association has asked the National Collegiate Athletic Association to eliminate alcohol advertising associated with NCAA events. “The prevalence of alcohol advertising in college sports sends a damaging message about the core values of the NCAA and higher education,” AMA President-elect J. Edward Hill, M.D., said in a statement. In a national poll sponsored by the AMA, 62% of adults said the NCAA should reverse its policy and not allow beer companies to advertise during college sporting events. NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson said the association already limits alcohol ads to 60 seconds per hour of any broadcast NCAA event, and he noted that the NCAA executive committee was already planning to discuss, at an upcoming meeting, the idea of banning the ads completely, in response to a request from one of its divisions.