Considered America's favorite pastime by many, baseball is a very popular summer activity throughout the country. You might be cheering on your favorite little leaguer, playing the game yourself, or visiting one of the 159 minor league or 30 major league stadiums in North America. For many baseball fans, summer vacations are even planned around MLB schedules.
Baseball is wonderful. "We play it as kids, we watch it and listen to it as adults, and we pass down our love of the Game through generations. Baseball is an American family tradition... From the Civil War to Civil Rights and all points in between and beyond, the game of baseball supports and reflects many aspects of American life, from culture to economics and technological advances. It inspires movements, instills pride and even heals cities." These words by the National Baseball Hall of Fame show a sentiment shared by many.
Too good to be true?
Professional baseball continues to provide good, wholesome entertainment to people of all ages year after year. But within this game that sparks joy and positivity for so many Americans is a topic which causes a lot of concern.
Errors (in judgment)
Lots of professional baseball fans enjoy sipping on beer at the games. Especially since baseball season goes through the heat of summer, many locations market beer and other alcohol as a way to stay cool. Enjoying a beer or two probably won't cause any huge issues at sporting events. But enjoying many more drinks definitely can. ESPN explained it by saying:
It's one of the most serious problems in baseball -- in fact, in every sport. But we disguise it with all kinds of catchy terms:
Fan violence. Unruly fans. Crowd management.
But we all know what those terms really mean: Too many beers in too many people in too many stadiums.
In addition to the issues too much alcohol can cause during the event, excessive drinking can also lead to drunk driving accidents and DUI arrests.
So what's the solution?
If you've been to a professional baseball game, you have heard of a 7th inning stretch. Fans generally stand up and stretch out their arms and legs and sometimes walk around. It is a popular time to get a late-game snack or an alcoholic beverage. Did you know this was largely because alcohol sales often cease after the last out of the seventh inning?
Alcohol service at professional sporting events has been a hot topic for years. Many facilities have implemented alcohol control policies such as stopping alcohol service after the seventh inning to allow time to sober up, training staff to recognize signs of intoxication and to stop serving those individuals, and other practices aimed at limiting the effects excessive amounts of alcohol can have. Do these practices work? Well, many studies aim to study this question. It seems to be tough for professional sports teams to find a balance between allowing a good time by serving alcohol to fans of legal age and limiting the problems caused when some of these fans go too far. Like with anything else in life, too much of anything can be a really bad thing.
Hit a homerun with sober driving
We're not here to tell you drinking is bad, not during sporting events or at any other times. We've all certainly enjoyed a couple drinks at a baseball game. But if your ability to limit your drinking when you'll be driving isn't the greatest, we might be the MVP. Our ignition interlock products can be installed voluntarily or following things like a court order or DUI. Reach out to us at www.smartstartal.com/contact or email us at team@smartstartal.com to find out how we can help coach you to sober driving.
=======================
Are you looking for a specific interlock device installation location? Smart Start of Alabama has locations in cities such as:
vehicle interlock in Andalusia | vehicle interlock in Birmingham | vehicle interlock in Boaz | vehicle interlock in Decatur | vehicle interlock in Foley | vehicle interlock in Mobile | vehicle interlock in Montgomery | vehicle interlock in Opelika | vehicle interlock in Sheffield | vehicle interlock in Tuscaloosa
Contact us to book your installation appointment.
