Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition Trains Stadium Operations and Concession Staff to Help Prevent Alcohol-related Incidents

(Flushing, New York) -- "You Drink & Drive. You Lose. You Designate a Driver and Everybody Wins," is the message to fans as the 4th of July holiday. The TEAM Coalition, New York Mets, Shea Stadium, Centerplate, New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, and ARAMARK have joined forces with local, state and national safety partners this holiday season (June 27th through July 13th) to get the word out to fans about the importance of responsible drinking and always designating a sober driver.

"We want the game-day experience to be a safe and enjoyable one for our fans while they are at the stadium and as they travel home after our games from wherever they happen to watch them," said Kirk Randazzo, Director of Stadium Operations for Yankee Stadium.

To accomplish this goal, the New York Mets and New York Yankees have trained their concessions and operations staff in TEAM’s effective alcohol management training program. According to TEAM Executive Director Jill Pepper, “After completing our program, stadium staff can better recognize the signs of impairment, know the definition of blood alcohol content, and how to handle a guest who may have had too much to drink. Our curriculum also establishes a framework for the stadium to review their stadium-specific and state-specific alcohol policies.”

In the case of Shea Stadium, alcohol cannot be purchased after the middle of the 7th inning, everyone purchasing alcohol must show a valid I.D., and each person can only purchase two beers at one time. At Yankee Stadium, alcohol can not be purchased after the end of the 7th inning, everyone under 30 purchasing alcohol must show a valid I.D. and each person can only purchase four beers at one time. Hundreds of employees have received TEAM training at both Shea and Yankee Stadium.

TEAM is an alliance of professional sports, entertainment facilities, stadium service partners, the beer industry, broadcasters and governmental traffic safety experts working to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports facilities.


In addition to training, TEAM and its partners are educating the fans about the importance of drinking responsibly and always designating a sober driver through the use of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that run on the video board in the stadium. Over the 4th of July holiday season, Shea and Yankee Stadiums will run specially-produced PSAs sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The PSAs focus on the “You Drink & Drive. You Lose.” campaign in which law enforcement agencies step up their efforts to deter drunk driving. Males between the ages of 21-34 are the population identified by NHTSA as most at risk to drive drunk and many baseball fans fit this age group. Shea Stadium has a captive audience of over 55,600 fans. Yankee Stadium has an audience of 57,000 fans.

Other educational efforts at the stadiums include signage posted to remind fans of the stadium’s alcohol policies and designated driver booths at both ballparks. The booths offer fans a solution to the problem of how to get home safely after drinking at the game by rewarding with a free soda the one member of a group who chooses to stay sober and gets everyone else with them home safely. By planning ahead, lives can be saved.

Approximately 17,448 people were killed and over 500,000 were injured as a result of impaired driving in 2001. "Those who plan on drinking at the baseball games or elsewhere would be wise to designate a driver or take public transportation," said NHTSA Regional Administrator Thomas M. Louizou.

The same holds true for those that go out to watch the Mets and Yankees on television or hold 4th of July parties with friends and neighbors. Weekend alcohol-related deaths are double those that occur during the week, thus State and local police increase their presence at those times as well. By acting responsibly, fans can do their part to keep weekend fatality and crash numbers to a minimum. According to Randazzo, “As families reunite to celebrate our nation’s birthday, baseball, BBQs, and fireworks are inevitable. Injuries and deaths caused by drunk driving are not - especially if you plan ahead and designate a driver."