Cricket fans can bring BYO alcohol

PACK YOUR OWN REFRESHMENT: Spectators at the one-day cricket at the Bay Oval in Tauranga earlier this year. Local cricket authorities will allow BYO alcohol in a bid to boost the dwindling crowd numbers.

Dwindling crowd support has prompted Bay cricket authorities to introduce a BYO alcohol trial at one-day cricket fixtures in Mount Maunganui this summer.

Northern Districts cricket and Bay of Plenty Cricket Trust have agreed to the bring-your-own booze trial for the Ford Trophy one-day matches in a desperate bid to boost attendances.

Northern Districts chief executive Peter Roach told the Bay of Plenty Times the decision was made this week in response to dwindling crowd numbers. It was hoped the BYO trial would keep people involved "and loving live sport", he said.

"Some feedback is that the cost of not just taking yourself but your family has become a bit pricey - by the time you pay for parking, ticket prices and food and drinks at the grounds," Mr Roach said.

From the first match between the Northern Knights and Wellington Firebirds on January 1, people will be able to bring a maximum of 12 cans or plastic bottles to each game plus soft drink and food.

Previously banned sun umbrellas and loungers were also now encouraged at games.

"We are hellbent on trying to re-invigorate the crowd," Mr Roach said. "Feedback on the whole has been positive. There are some people connecting alcohol to bad things. We are not saying it's like that. The real benefit of getting people to watch live sport is evident in that most people get their first taste for sport when they see it live. We are talking about future generations of sport."

Mr Roach said the association would still provide a safe, family environment and "nothing that we are saying will change that".

"We've always had alcohol at our cricket games at the Mount. The only difference is that it's BYO. Our host responsibility does not change.

"We'll still have large family areas and an area where if people want to have a drink, they can," he said.

"If it's not working after the first game, we will quickly alert people. We are adults."

Don Paterson who manages TRAC events said if the right kind of security measures were in place "there's nothing wrong with it".

"So long as it's done properly, it works really well," Mr Paterson said. "Long gone are the days where people get trashed at public events anymore, especially with the lower drink drive limits."