PLANS to ban alcohol sponsorship at sporting events have been axed — sparing fans ticket price hikes, The Sun can reveal. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ruled out barring booze firms, it is understood, to the relief of football, rugby and tennis chiefs. The Premier League agreed a four-year mega-deal with Guinness last season while ABK Beer backs October’s Rugby League Ashes. Dropping the “nanny state” ban will also boost grassroots sport, as cash trickles down from the elite levels. One senior Tory said: “Sponsorship helps keep football tickets affordable and grassroots sports alive. “You don’t drive harmful drinking down by banning adverts, you just hit fans in the pocket.” However, partial restrictions on alcohol ads will form part of a ten-year NHS plan out next week, it is believed. They may be outlawed before the 9pm watershed in line with junk food and drink as ministers try to tackle growing health problems. Junk food ads are to be banned between 5.30pm and 9pm from October. We told yesterday that more than half of Labour voters opposed an ads ban by meddling ministers.