Supporters Earn Ultimate Reward at 2015 MLS Cup

12/07/2015

Columbus Crew SC and the Portland Timbers provided a grand finale to the Major League Soccer season at the 2015 MLS Cup, and today two supporters and their guests are reminiscing about the experience of a lifetime.

Michael Flickinger, from Dublin, OH, the Columbus Crew SC Designated Driver for the Season and Andrea Tyler, a supporter from Portland, OR, representing the Portland Timbers, were selected as the grand prize winners of the “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” sweepstakes. The sweepstakes is in its eleventh season, provided by Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition with support from Major League Soccer (MLS) and HEINEKEN USA. It continues to succeed in raising awareness for the designated driver programs offered by MLS clubs.

Both winners and their guests attended the 2015 MLS Cup at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, OH on Sunday, December 6. The winners watched pregame warm-ups on the field after having been selected from among the 32,078 supporters who pledged to be designated drivers at MLS games throughout the 2015 season, ensuring a safe ride home for their friends and family.

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One of Major League Soccer’s top priorities is the safety of our fans, and our partnership with TEAM Coalition is an excellent program that provides a positive message. We’re pleased to work with TEAM Coalition to promote responsible habits.Don Garber, Commissioner, Major League Soccer

HEINEKEN USA is proud to be a member of TEAM Coalition and promote responsibility throughout the MLS season. The Responsibility Has Its Rewards program is an engaging way to support designated drivers in making responsible decisions. By working with TEAM Coalition and MLS, we support a fun and safe environment for our fans to enjoy the great game of soccer.Tara Rush, SVP and Chief of Corporate Relations, HEINEKEN USA

About MLS
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer features 20 clubs throughout the United States and Canada.  The 2015 season features the most comprehensive U.S. media rights partnership in the history of the league, as eight-year agreements with ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision Deportes commenced. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.

TEAM Coalition
TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, traffic safety experts and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. TEAM Coalition members and supporters include Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Americrown, Aramark, Delaware North Sportservice, Legends, Spectra, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch, Constellation Brands, HEINEKEN USA, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information visit www.TEAMCoalition.org or www.FansDontLetFansDriveDrunk.org.

 

US DOT / NHTSA 2014 NATIONAL DATA:

• In 2014, 9,967 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related (BAC > 0.08) car crashes, a decrease of 1% from the 10,076 fatalities in 2013.

• Many, if not most of those lives would have been saved if people did not drive when they were impaired by alcohol or if they used sober, designated drivers or if they simply wore their seat belts.

• Statistics and research clearly show that 21-34 year old males are the demographic most likely to be involved in an automobile crash, drive when impaired by alcohol, and fail to buckle up.