NASCAR and Coors Light Reach Thousands of Consumers Through At-Track Responsible Drinking Campaign

10/13/2012
NASCAR, TEAM Coalition and Coors Light Reaching Thousands
of Consumers Through At-Track Responsible Drinking Campaign
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For Immediate Release
Contacts:  Jill Pepper, TEAM Coalition 202-669-0357, jill@teamcoalition.org
Courtney Shiesher for MillerCoors, 312-854-8395, cschiesher@olson.com
CONCORD, NC. (10/13/2012) – The Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition’s partnership with the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has proven to be effective in reaching thousands of consumers and communicating the importance of responsibility at select race tracks across the country in just two years.Throught the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign, which promotes responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sporting events and entertainment venues, 3,112 NASCAR fans have pledged to be designated drivers through nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races during the 2012 season. This number is an increase of nearly 75 percent as compared to the campaign’s inaugural season in 2011 which saw 1,781 fans participate in the program offered at four NCSC events.This season, this initiative was available at five NSCS regular season events and four during NASCAR’s postseason – the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Emblematic of the 2012 activations, TEAM Coalition and NASCAR worked with Coors Light to promote the designated driver program at Saturday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. MillerCoors brands have been a partner in all nine activations this season.

From L to R: Rajaa Grar - Coors Light Associate Brand Manager, MillerCoors, Mark Bycraft - Coors Light Associate Brand Manager, MillerCoors, Mr. David L. Strickland - Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Rachel - Miss Coors Light, Jordan Jiloty - Senior Manager, Public Affairs, NASCAR, Diane Wagner - Responsibility Commerce Manager, MillerCoors, Morgan Holleran - Event Manager, TEAM CoalitionFrom L to R: Rajaa Grar – Coors Light Associate Brand Manager, MillerCoors, Mark Bycraft – Coors Light Associate Brand Manager, MillerCoors, Mr. David L. Strickland – Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Rachel – Miss Coors Light, Jordan Jiloty – Senior Manager, Public Affairs, NASCAR, Diane Wagner – Responsibility Commerce Manager, MillerCoors, Morgan Holleran – Event Manager, TEAM Coalition

TEAM Coalition and partners reward responsible fans with a chance to win tickets and hot passes to the next NSCS race at that track.

To date, NASCAR fans have pledged to be designated drivers at the following NSCS races in 2012

  • April 28 – Richmond 400 at Richmond International Raceway
  • May 12 – Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway
  • May 27 – Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
  • July 15 – LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
  • September 8 – Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Speedway
  • September 16 – GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway
  • September 23 – Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
  • October 7 – AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
  • October 13 – Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

“NASCAR is committed to promoting responsible behavior and enhancing the overall fan experience,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “We are proud of our TEAM Coalition membership and look forward to expanding the partners with whom we communicate responsible alcohol consumption awareness to NASCAR fans.”

TEAM Coalition is an alliance of 21 organizations, including professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts and others. Its members are united by their mission to provide effective alcohol service training and promote responsible alcohol consumption to enhance the entertainment experience while reducing alcohol-related instances in facilities and on the road.

“The success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign with NASCAR is a direct result of the commitment from our members and all the designated-driver program partners, including the tracks, concessionaire companies and state offices of highway safety,” said Jill Pepper, executive director of TEAM Coalition. “Teamwork is what this campaign is all about. We are demonstrating that when everyone – including the fans – takes responsibility, everyone wins.”

“We believe that with great beer comes great responsibility and we’re thrilled to partner with NASCAR and TEAM Coalition to help promote responsible alcohol consumption at the track,” said Diane Wagner, Responsibility Commerce Manager at MillerCoors. “For many fans, enjoying a beer on race day is part of the NASCAR experience, and we want to encourage fans to enjoy the race responsibly and plan ahead for a safe ride home from the track.”

For more information on Responsibility Has Its Rewards, visit www.RHIR.org

About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 100 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will air Oct. 13 on ABC at 7 p.m. ET. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR onhttp://www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.

About MillerCoors
Built on a foundation of great beer brands and nearly 300 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers. MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in the United States, capturing nearly 30 percent of beer sales in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of brands across every major industry segment. The portfolio is led by the company’s premium light brands: Coors Light, Miller Lite and Miller64. Coors Light, the World’s Most Refreshing Beer, offers consumers refreshment as cold as the Rockies. Miller Lite established the American light beer category in 1975, offering beer drinkers a light beer that tastes like beer should. Miller64 is 64 calories of crisp, light taste that complements a balanced lifestyle. MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft, and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light. Tenth and Blake Beer Company, MillerCoors craft and import division, imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Grolsch and features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel’s craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisc. and two microbreweries, the Tenth Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver. MillerCoors vision is to create the best beer company in America through great people changing the way America enjoys beer. MillerCoors builds its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and sustainable environmental and community impact. MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company. Learn more at MillerCoors.com, atFacebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter through @MillerCoors.

About TEAM Coalition
TEAM Coalition is an 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. TEAM’s members and supporters include NASCAR, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Ovations Food Services, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, Elite, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information, go to www.TEAMCoalition.org or www.RHIR.org###