Most stupid idea this year
September 20th, 2012 at 2:48 pm by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
There are moves underway to clean up the Wellington Sevens, now that it’s an Olympic sport.
The Wellington leg of the international tournament has gained a reputation as being a non-stop party, with dozens of arrests often taking place for drunken behaviour.
General manager Steve Walters says they’ve been surveying the rugby community as to whether they think limiting alcohol, or introducing a ‘dry zone’ for part of the first day, is a good idea.
An alcohol free Sevens – yeah right. All that would happen is no one would buy tickets for the actual games, still dress up in costumes, get drunk in town and watch it on screens at the bars.
If they have an alcohol free zone at the Sevens, they won’t need more than 20 seats or so.
Tags: alcohol, Wellington Sevens
September 20th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
the world is full of kiljoys who have noooooo idea
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
The fun police and the obnoxious Doug Sellman must be behind this “brilliant” initiative.
Vote:Wowsers on the offensive.
September 20th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
One of my most memorable sporting sporting moments, having a yound “lady” dressed as a rubiks cube puke down the back of my legs whilst watching the sevens final
Great day and night!
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
just shows what a yawnfest sevens is as a sporting festival when you’ve got to get trashed to enjoy it.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
This is quite hypocritical – football/soccer is an Olympic sport and look at the amount of drinking that goes hand in hand with that throughout Europe.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
I’m not sure why there needs to be a sporting event at all. Just advertise the weekend as a dress up and get pissed. Nothing would change.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
7′s haven’t been about rugby for a long time now. It is really about how much piss can be sold to the punters (disguised as sports).
If the wowsers don’t like it they should charter a ship and move to Saudi Arabia. They’d fit in there.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 3:41 pm
There is already a dry zone, it’s called the “Family Zone” where parents can bring their kids without fear of drunks. However it is tucked back in a corner of the stadium which is a bit unfortunate.
Biggest problem is crowd control. The stadium takes some 33,000 people, and the seats are priced according to desirability. What tends to happen is about 15,000 who bought tickets to the Red Zone or other cheap tickets storm the desirable aisles 24-31 making it pretty unpleasant. The last 2 years in a row I’ve ended up in physical fights with drunk goons who want to ruin my enjoyment, which does include game time as well as party time.
About three years ago they were pretty tough on aisle crashers and things went pretty smoothly. Shame they don’t do that every year
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Abolition (aka Sellman et al) by stealth yet again. Wonder who Sellman’s surrogate was this yime.
Vote:What absolute bullshit
The self perpetuating oligarchy that is the IOC is just about the most perpetually posturing / ineberated bunch on planet earth.
September 20th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Roupe
Vote:Your comment shows that alcohol free might work certainly for those who get abused by drunks and those who stopped coming because of same.
or
Nick all the pissed ones in public, no matter their standing in society, put them in the cells, take them before the magistrate on monday morning.
Fine them for being drunk in public and send them on alcoholic course with alanon. Publish their photos in the paper.
sod them the rude buggers.
September 20th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
The stadium is oval. Technically it doesn’t have corners.
I have never been to the Sevens in Wellington but watch a lot of the games on TV. The crowd shots show people having fun. How is the arrest of a few dozen drunks affecting the world wide perception? I wish these people who come up with ideas like this would just fuck off and be miserable on their own without projecting their sad pathetic lives on other people.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
People actually attend to watch the games?
How sick is that?
People I talk to go to (a) get their kit off or (b) watch others get their kit off.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Alcohol free as an event would be no good. Certainly not advocating that.
However the event is all-day. Some folk can’t manage themselves. Last event I saw a chick barely conscious vomiting by 2pm on the first day. What the fuck…
I don’t care what people do, how loud they are, how naked they are or even how drunk they are. I do mind getting pushed around by some drunk and being told that what I want to do is less important that what the drunk wants to do. I’m 6’3″, 100kg and can intimidate 90% of people there. It just spoils my day having to do it.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
That sad bunch who can only relax when pissed are a pain in the arse. Relax New Zelanders. Try going to the rugby and having fun without getting pissed. You might find it quite enjoyable.
Vote:Having sat beside a pissed person for the Test last Saturday I can report that their conversation did not get more interesting nor their jokes wittier.
September 20th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
…….”Brian” at 4.18.
Vote:it does affect world perception. Because its very unusual on the world scene. You possibly don’t know that because you might just be too used to it.
Try Las Vegas. 10,000 people our on the street at midnight. Many having had many drinks. But a friendly atmosphere, good times, lots of humor and courtesy plus. It’s great.
Compare Rugby Sevens with squalling bawling harridans, yelling and competing to show how truely crass they are.
September 20th, 2012 at 5:35 pm
NZ Cricket take note: Start serving absinthe at the ground and tickets to test matches will be sold out in minutes.
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 6:01 pm
It’s a drag event for sports heads, with some sevens rugby happening on the centre stage.
What’s the problem?
Vote:September 20th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Prohibitionist thinkers frowning upon people having more fun than themselves again:
Vote:The evils of the unknown for the wowsers who’ve never touched a drop.
Memories of excess for the former alcoholics who assume everybody drinks to the extremes they once did.
And tales of grief from addiction counselors who only see the extreme effects of addiction, despite the rarity of this.
And a touch of hypocrisy from those who have to be sober on the day.
September 20th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Only time I have ever had a ticket a mate did a deal to get 3, I didnt drink f*ck all, had to drive home to Palmy.
Vote:If they could fit 100,000 in they would sell them all easy.
Great day out.
September 20th, 2012 at 7:58 pm
Sounds like the Auckland Xmas parade – no lolly scrambles, no water pistols, No cartwheels among animal droppings (true…),
who would go?
they overturned such stupidity within 24 hrs.
Vote:September 21st, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Simple solution, as practiced at the Hong Kong 7s,
1 person, 1 drink
You have to stand in a queue all day to get really pi$$ed, and few will do that. The rules for the South Stand are somewhat different I understand, but in 25 visits I’ve only been in that stand once, and that was for 5 minutes just to see what it’s like.
Vote: