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NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 2, 2010) - Two National Basketball Association (NBA) fans are particularly excited their favorite teams are competing for the championship in the 2010 NBA Finals. Los Angeles Lakers fan Julie Hsu and Boston Celtics fan William Fonte were named "Designated Drivers for the Season" and will each attend a Finals game to cheer on their team as grand prize winners of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes. Hsu and Fonte were randomly selected among all of the fans who pledged to be designated drivers at the Lakers and Celtics home games. Designated drivers pledge to refrain from drinking alcohol and provide their friends and family with a safe ride home.
Throughout the season, the NBA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition, Anheuser-Busch and NBA teams across the country have worked together to make more fans aware of the designated-driver programs at NBA arenas, encourage responsible drinking and positive fan behavior and promote traffic safety. The success of those efforts is demonstrated by the fact that a record 70,000 adults pledged to be designated drivers during the 2009-10 season. A "Designated Driver for the Season" from an NBA team not playing in the 2010 NBA Finals also will randomly be chosen to attend the 2011 NBA All-Star Game.
The sweepstakes reminds adult fans who choose to drink to always have a designated driver, which shows the NBA is not only "Where Amazing Happens," but also where responsibility happens.
The top five NBA teams for designated drivers at the end of the 2010 season are:
- Dallas Mavericks with 17,203 designated drivers
- New Orleans Hornets with 6,300 designated drivers
- Sacramento Kings with 5,975 designated drivers
- Oklahoma City Thunder with 5,659 designated drivers
- San Antonio Spurs with 4,687 designated drivers
"The success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign with the NBA this season is a direct result of the commitment from the league, the teams and all the campaign partners," 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."
"Tying Responsibility Has Its Rewards to our season-long Good Sport program makes for a winning combination," said Kathy Casso, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility for Anheuser-Busch. "We're pleased to work with the NBA, TEAM and the other program partners to recognize fans who look out for each other and make a designated driver part of their game plan. When it comes to preventing drunk driving, we're all part of the team."
Anheuser-Busch's Good Sport program promotes responsible fan behavior at sporting venues nationwide and rewards fans who volunteer to be designated drivers for their families and friends.
"The success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards program underscores the commitment of our fans to be responsible leaders in their communities," said NBA Senior Vice President, Security, Bernie Tolbert. "TEAM Coalition works hand-in-hand with our teams providing our fans with the information and resources necessary to ensure that NBA games and events remain safe and enjoyable for everyone."
TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaries, stadium service providers, the beer industry, broadcasters, traffic safety experts and others that works to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at all sports and entertainment facilities.
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TEAM's members and supporters include the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, Elite Show Staffing, International Association of Assembly Managers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Visit www.teamcoalition.org for more details.
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