Sports Drinks

Coca-Cola may be the real thing, but, in an increasingly competitive soft drink market, it isn't the only thing. That fact became even more clear Tuesday, as Coca-Cola Co.--battling flat sales in its current major brands--unveiled plans to launch a new flavored sparkling water beverage and expand distribution of its sports drink, PowerAde.

It's hardly news that many sports fans drink before and during games, but how much they drink might be. In testing fans of professional football and baseball teams after a game, researchers found 40% had consumed alcohol and 8% were legally drunk. A University of Minnesota preliminary study published online this week in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research tested blood alcohol levels for 362 adults as they were leaving 13 baseball games and three football games. Those with blood alcohol levels of .08 or greater were considered drunk.

Let's call it what it is: a sin tax. A California lawmaker is targeting the obesity epidemic with a tax that would slap a penny-an-ounce levy on drinks sweetened with sugar or corn syrup. The food industry, not surprisingly, has squared off against the idea, arguing that the tax bill is a punitive assault on personal choice. "The government doesn't have the right to social engineer," said J. Justin Wilson, senior research analyst at the industry-backed Center for Consumer Freedom.

Battling back from a dismal 2009, Gatorade is refocusing on competitive athletes, and a new ad campaign seeks to carve out a market for three workout beverages. The Chicago-based unit of PepsiCo Inc. is airing commercials that promote its G Series, a trio of drinks it introduced last year that target student athletes' needs before, during and after a workout or athletic event. "It's a more holistic view," said Morgan Flatley, director of consumer engagement at Gatorade. "In our mind there's a tremendous amount of opportunity for the types of product we can deliver in the future for before, during and after activities," Flatley added, hinting at Gatorade's plans to introduce products other than beverages next year.

When Michelle Obama and her fifth-grade partners harvested lettuce and peas in the White House garden this spring, she made a point of saying that American children are "not eating right and not moving their bodies at all," and she cited what they eat in school as part of the problem. On just about every schoolyard, the nation's obesity problem is apparent: A fifth of U.S. children are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nutrition advocates said the first lady's comments gave them increased hope that Congress would bolster the school lunch program when it takes up renewing the Child Nutrition Act, which expires Sept.

Teens between age 14 and 18 get more calories from soda than any other single food or drink, research shows , and kids who drink soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages are more likely to be overweight or obese. So health experts who would like to reverse the rise in childhood obesity often focus on reducing kids' access to these sugary drinks . But a new study has some discouraging news: Students in schools that limited sales of soda and other sugary beverages on campus consumed just as many of the drinks, overall, as students in schools without any such restrictions.

One of E. Neville Isdell's goals when the former Coca-Cola Co. manager returned as chief executive in 2004 was to perk up U.S. sales by selling more water and sports drinks, as PepsiCo was doing to propel growth. This year he introduced more than two dozen noncarbonated drinks, including flavored Dasani water and a grape version of Powerade, a rival to PepsiCo's Gatorade. Coca-Cola's sales volume of non-soda beverages rose 7% in the second quarter. PepsiCo's jumped 23%.

Gatorade officially ended its relationship with Tiger Woods , saying the company no longer sees a role for the world's top-ranked golfer, who one week ago apologized for the sex scandal that has enveloped him. Gatorade, which dropped its Tiger Focus sports drink before the scandal broke, issued this statement: "We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts. . . . However, our partnership with the Tiger Woods Foundation will continue. We wish him all the best." This is the third sponsor to cut marketing ties with Woods, who is in rehabilitation and remains on a self-imposed break from the game.

Drama continued unfolding around Tiger Woods Tuesday, when his mother-in-law was rushed from his Florida home to a hospital with stomach pain and Gatorade announced it has discontinued its Tiger Focus sports drink. Amid focus on whether Woods will lose lucrative endorsement deals as a result of "transgressions" he admitted to in the days after he crashed his Cadillac Escalade outside his home and reports emerged of the golfer's extra-marital affairs, the Gatorade cancellation was in no way connected to the negative publicity, according to a company statement.

Mission Viejo High School officials have canceled the rest of the boys' volleyball season after interviewing players about several violations, including a party at a parent's home at which alcohol was allegedly served. Saddleback Valley Unified School District Supt. Peter Hartman confirmed Thursday night that first-year Coach Mark Booth, a walk-on, had been fired because of the incident. The Diablos will forfeit their entire season, including three remaining South Coast League games.