Alex Ovechkin is no stranger to a cold beverage. The 39-year-old legendary winger has celebrated many milestones, both individually and team-related, with a drink.
Ovechkin’s most recent celebrations, which included beer baths after scoring his 894th and record-breaking 895th career goals, have even inspired politicians in Russia to reconsider their laws regarding alcohol in sports stadiums.
In 2005, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law legislation banning beer advertisements and the sale of beer at sports venues, which remains in effect to this day.
“Alexander Ovechkin always comes to Russia, where he is a welcome guest for everyone,” State Duma deputy Dmitry Svishchev told VseProSport’s Ildar Satdinov, per a translation from Google Translate. “He is in demand everywhere, as the greatest athlete, media personality, citizen of Russia. Wherever he comes, the success of the event is guaranteed.
“I would like to invite Ovechkin to a round table on the sale of beer in stadiums, which will be held on June 9. It is important for me to know his position. I have not heard that there are restrictions on the sale of beer in stadiums in the USA. I saw footage after one of the Washington matches, where Sasha was with beer.”
Ovechkin returned to his native Russia with his family last week after the Capitals were eliminated in the second round of this year’s NHL playoffs. Svishchev wants Ovechkin to share his opinion, as he says his bill to return alcohol to Russia’s sporting events is reportedly having a tough time finding enough support to pass.
Alcohol has been ingrained in American sporting culture since the 1880s, when the earliest roots of pro baseball used it to attract spectators for weekend games. While prohibition (1920-1933) put an end to sales for 13 years, drinking immediately returned to games with the passing of the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution.
Today, you can’t attend a sports game in the US without seeing or even hearing a beer vendor as they roam the stands at some venues. Per a 2023 report from SponsorUnited, beverage alcohol brands contributed $480 million in sponsorship revenue across NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL teams during the 2022-23 season alone.
Russia, potentially lifting restrictions on its dry policy in arenas and stadiums, has been a topic of discussion in recent years, particularly when it hosted the 2018 World Cup. Putin was directly asked by a Russian soccer fan about the ban when he and FIFA president Sepp Blatter met with fans in St. Petersburg years ahead of the World Cup.
Putin, after some pushing from FIFA, eventually lifted the ban for the duration of the tournament. Alcohol was sold in stadiums and fan zones exclusively by Anheuser-Busch InBev, one of FIFA’s largest sponsors.
“When the decision was made about stadiums, it came from the best of intentions,” Putin said in 2012. “Okay, we’ll return to it again and think about it.”
Ovechkin has been very open about his thoughts regarding beer, considering drinking it not only a fun, celebratory practice but also a practical and strategic tool. During a Russian interview last summer, Ovechkin revealed that the Capitals have a beer fridge in their coach’s room.
“We just like to relax,” Ovechkin said. “After hockey, you are tired, a couple of glasses of wine or beer is normal… It relieves tension.”
Whether Ovechkin has replied to Svischev’s invitation is not yet known. The Capitals’ captain’s Russian agent, Gleb Chistyakov, told Sport-Express on Wednesday that Ovechkin is resting and has no immediate vacation plans.
