Welcome to Anchorage, where NFL stands for No Fucking Liquor

[TexasTowelie]

NFL Sunday. The first round of games kick off at 1 p.m. EST, which means 9 a.m. Alaska time, and if there happens to be games played in England, make that 5:30 a.m. in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Normally you would sleep in, but for God’s sake I literally just said it’s NFL Sunday. You wake up, throw on that favorite jersey, groggily make it to the bar in time score your favorite table, prepare to settle in for the next few hours, and place your order. You’re then told, middle-age football fan, that while your eggs will be right up, you — a fully grown-ass adult — will have to wait 60 to 90 minutes before you can legally drink that Bloody Mary.

Meanwhile, you’re getting taunting pics from your buddies in the Valley, hands full of deliciously garnished beverages because, while Alaska law prevents the sale of liquor before 8 a.m., here in Anchorage some nanny muni law says we can’t imbibe before 10 a.m.

And it’s not for lack of opposition. In late 2018, Anchorage Assembly member Eric Croft proposed an extension of serving hours, arguing that it would benefit tourism and help the idea of the then-proposed alcohol tax go down easier. That proposal would’ve allowed bars and restaurants to serve alcohol at 9 a.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. on weekends. At the time, Croft said that at least one bar owner would concede to the tax if it meant expanded serving hours.

Read more: https://www.anchoragepress.com/columnists/welcome-to-anchorage-where-nfl-stands-for-no-fucking-liquor/article_ffc6f3ac-e95a-11e9-8c1a-8fefe4353cbc.html