NFL WARMING UP TO BOOZE-AND-BINGO SPONSORSHIPS

With the economy slumping and the advertising market shrinking like “little Costanza” in a cold swimming pool, the NFL could be poised to change its long-standing aversion to advertising arrangements with liquor companies and lottery operations. According to Terry Lefton of SportsBusiness Journal, a proposal to permit liquor and lottery sponsorships is on the agenda for the league meetings that start on March 22 in Dana Point, California. A change in the rules would result in NFL trademarks appearing on liquor and lottery products, along with certain types of liquors and/or lotteries being the “official sponsor” of the league or a given team. For example, Grey Goose vodka could become the official water bottle spiking agent of the Denver Broncos -- a move that would be much more meaningful if Maurice Clarett hadn’t been cut before the first game of his rookie season. Lefton reports that an effort by the NFL to embrace hard liquor could alienate the beer industry, which spends millions on NFL adversiting and sponsorship. Lefton also points out that the beer companies have argued that “opening sports to liquor marketers could lead to an outright ban of beer and liquor associations with sports leagues by Congress.” Yeah, Congress has nothing better to do right now.