TEAM Coalition proudly recognized this year’s MLB training certification and designated driver program award winners at the 2016 MLB FESTOPS meeting on Tuesday, November 29, 2016. TEAM Coalition is a unique alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities.
In 2016, more than 61,000 employees became certified in the training program. The 21,000 employees of MLB ballparks that became TEAM-certified in 2016 – including ushers, ticket takers, guest services representatives and the employees of concessionaire companies – represented 33% of that total. Click here to see all the MLB training award winners.
During the 2016 season, nearly 585,000 MLB fans pledged to be designated drivers. The Designated Drivers for the Season from the Cleveland Indians, Amelia Reid, and the Chicago Cubs, Becky Yaworski, attended the 2016 World Series Games 1 and 3, respectively, as the grand prize winners of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes for designated drivers. At the 2016 MLB FESTOPS meetings, the Designated Driver for the Season for the Detroit Tigers, Matt Terry, was selected as the first prize winner of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes. Matt and a guest will attend the 2017 MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby at Marlins Park in Miami, FL.
At the FESTOPs meeting, the Top 5 MLB Clubs for Designated Drivers were recognized, in addition to the Club with the greatest increase in participation in the designated driver program. Click here to see the MLB designated driver program winners.
In conjunction with Budweiser, the official beer of MLB, TEAM Coalition supported four Budweiser Good Sport Designated Driver Challenges. Ten Clubs participated. Click here to see the Designated Driver Challenge winners.
2016 was a phenomenal season for MLB in terms of designated drivers and ballpark employees becoming TEAM certified. Congratulations to all the award winners.
