There are calls for a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sport.

A New Zealand Medical Journal article analysed five major international sporting events televised in New Zealand in the 2014/2015 summer and found alcohol sponsorship was prevalent.

In some games viewers were exposed to up to 200 alcohol related ads per hour.

The events studied included the Australian Open Tennis Final and the Rugby League 9s and found viewers were exposed to between 1.6 and 3.8 alcohol brand exposures per minute.

Associate Professor of Public Health at Otago University Louise Signal said there's already an agreement in New Zealand that alcohol isn't advertised during daytime television.

"But through the mechanism of sport sponsorship, alcohol is being advertised during the day and at times when impressionable children are able to watch."

Ms Signal said the government needs to step up and ban alcohol advertising through sports sponsorship.

"But I also think that the sports organisations themselves need to step up and refrain from using this type of sponsorship."