Skipper Steve Smith defends beer logo on team jersey

Australian national team Skipper Steven Smith defend his team on wearing Australia cricket shirts with the logo of local beer named “Victoria Bitter” (VB). The `Victoria Bitter` logo has been labelled on Australian kits for a number of years and can be seen on the upper right corner of the shirt.

Victoria bitter produced by Carlton & United Breweries which is a subsidiary of Foster’s group in Melbourne, Australia and is regarded as one of the highest selling beers in Australia but an Australian politician, New South Wales Premier Mike Baird feels that the use of alcohol advertising in cricket and other local sports gives the wrong message.

In a conversation with Cricket Australia’s official website Smith said, “I don’t think we have any problem with it. We actively try to get out messages. We’ve got the ‘Know when to declare’ campaign so we’re actively trying to restrict the level of consumption of alcohol to a responsible level. That’s pretty important for us”.

Campaign: It is a campaign where Australian cricketers creates awareness about the ill-effects of drinking and what measures must be taken to combat it

Australian Skipper replied to Baird that the use of company logo on team jersey is for promoting the brand. He also said that they are only sponsoring the company and not drinking of alcohol.

“We’re promoting the brand,” he added. “Not the consumption of alcohol.

 Baird had earlier said at a Fundraiser for Thomas Kelly Foundation in Sydney two days back, “Kelly was killed by an alcohol-fuelled ‘coward punch’ in 2012 (he was only 18-year-old)… I find it quite an incredible position where the captain of our cricket team sits there with a big VB on the middle [of his shirt]. We all love the captain of our cricket team, but I find that an “incredible position”.