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DETROIT, MI -- 02/03/2006 -- "Responsibility Has Its Rewards" was the
message to National Football League (NFL) fans throughout the 2005/06 NFL season as the
NFL and the Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition joined forces
for the third straight season to get the word out about the importance of responsible
drinking and always using a designated driver. Agreeing to be responsible has paid off
for a few lucky fans with an all expenses paid trip to the NFL Super Bowl XL.
Responsibility Has Its Rewards (RHIR) is an awareness raising campaign of the TEAM
Coalition, an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities,
concessionaires, stadium service partners, the beer industry, broadcasters, government
traffic safety experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and
positive fan behavior at sports facilities. Along with partners like the NFL, TEAM and
its supporters are educating fans about the importance of drinking responsibly, always
buckling up and having a sober designated driver. TEAM also provides alcohol management
training for employees of major sporting venues throughout the country, emphasizing the
important role every employee -- not just those serving alcohol -- plays in managing
alcohol consumption and keeping fans safe.
Of the more than 90,000 NFL fans who participated in the designated driver programs
offered during home games at NFL stadiums nationwide, Molly McKenney and John Aykens
were selected as the designated drivers of the season from the Pittsburgh Steelers and
Seattle Seahawks, respectively. Each was rewarded with a trip to Super Bowl XL at Ford
Field in Detroit, MI.
The RHIR promotion is also present locally in Michigan.
- At the NFL Experience (Booth #107) at COBO Center, Michigan Office of
Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), the NFL, Coors Brewing Company, TEAM, RADD:
The Entertainment Industry's Voice For Road Safety and the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) remind Super Bowl fans to act
responsibly by designating a sober driver.
- Hundreds of fans visited the RHIR booth on Wednesday and Thursday,
joining online entrants into the Michigan state-wide RHIR promotion to win
a VIP Super Bowl package. The lucky winner, Jeff Cheney, was selected on
Thursday night to receive the coveted prize package including two (2)
tickets to the Super Bowl, as well as an invitation to the private Coors
Super Bowl party. Jeff and his lucky guest will join athletes, celebrities
and dignitaries, including Hollywood Records recording artist and RADD
celebrity messenger Josh Kelley, NFL players and other VIP guests at this
exclusive Coors event.
- Fans attending the NFL Experience today between the hours of 3pm and
8pm will all have the opportunity to film their own custom traffic safety
messages, promoting key RHIR messages; Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk and
Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time.
- Fans can participate in the designated driver program at Super Bowl XL
by pledging to stay sober and make sure everyone in their group gets home
safely at one of the seven guest services locations at Ford Field. The
designated driver program is sponsored by Coors, TEAM, NFL, Michigan OHSP
as well as Levy Restaurants -- the concessionaire at Ford Field.
"This promotion is an opportunity for the NFL and the clubs to encourage
responsible fan behavior. For the fans, it is a great reminder that responsibility
has its rewards," said Jill Pepper, Executive Director of the TEAM Coalition.
Roger Goodell, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the National
Football League added, "The NFL has strongly supported the TEAM program for over 15
years. The positive contributions made by TEAM are far reaching and we are glad to
have the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign represented at the NFL Experience."
TEAM members and supporters include the National Football League, Major League Baseball,
Major League Soccer, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, National
Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies -- Sportservice,
Contemporary Services Corporation, Beer Institute, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Miller
Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, National Association of Broadcasters,
ESPN-ABC Sports, Live Nation, International Association of Assembly Managers, and
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NFL's Season-long Commitment to Community & Traffic Safety
The Super Bowl effort is part of the NFL-TEAM season-long Responsibility Has Its Rewards
promotion at every NFL stadium nationwide, including Ford Field. This promotion provides
a value-added layer to existing designated driver programs at the stadiums sponsored by
brewers and concessionaires. Fans who pledged to be designated drivers at NFL games were
eligible to enter a drawing to be selected as the team's designated driver for the season.
The designated drivers of the season from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Molly McKenney,
and Seattle Seahawks, John Aykens, were each rewarded with a trip to Super Bowl XL,
including two tickets to the game, airfare, and hotel accommodations in Detroit. In addition,
the designated driver for the season from the New Orleans Saints, Patricia Mansker,
was chosen at random to attend the 2006 NFL Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii.
# # #
NFL: The National Football League is proud of our history of giving, and we are committed
to having a positive impact for generations to come. www.nfl.com
MI OHSP: Mission Statement is to save lives and reduce injuries on Michigan roads through
leadership, innovation, facilitation, and program support in partnership with other public
and private organizations. www.michigan.gov/msp
TEAM Coalition – an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment
facilities, concessionaires, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety
experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior
at sports and entertainment facilities. www.teamcoalition.org
RADD (Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving), ‘The Entertainment
Industry’s Voice for Road Safety’, is an internationally recognized non-profit organization
that empowers celebrities and media partners to create positive attitudes about road safety.
Founded in 1986, RADD advocates the use of designated drivers, seatbelts and safe driving
through control behind the wheel, making responsible behavior the norm. RADD’s messages are
non-judgmental, hip and positive. www.radd.org
NHTSA (The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), under the U.S. Department
of Transportation, was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970, as the successor to the
National Highway Safety Bureau, to carry out safety programs under the National Traffic and
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety Act of 1966. www.nhtsa.com
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