Detroit -- 12/5/2008 -- At tonight’s game between the Pistons and the Philadelphia 76ers at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons, Anheuser-Busch, Centerplate, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning and TEAM Coalition are partnering to educate fans about the importance of designating a driver, buckling up, and demonstrating positive fan behavior. "Be a Good Sport, Always Have a Designated Driver" is the message driving this campaign, and Pistons fans will be the spokespeople.

Fans who make the Responsibility Has Its Rewards (RHIR) pledge to always have a designated driver, never drive drunk, and always buckle up will film their own message about responsible behavior. The film crew will be set-up on the main concourse near Section 106, next to the Designated Driver program booth. Public Service Announcements produced from the filming will air throughout the season on the Palace of Auburn Hills video board and on local broadcast TV. In addition, the video clips will be e-mailed to participants so their moment of fame can be shared. Fans from across the NBA who pledge and demonstrate responsible behavior have a chance to win tickets to an NBA Finals® game or a trip to the 2010 NBA All-Star Game®.

"Giving fans the opportunity to be the voice of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign personalizes the ‘Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk’ message. Teamwork is exactly what this campaign is all about," said Jill Pepper, executive director of the TEAM Coalition. She noted that through this program the Detroit Pistons, Anheuser-Busch, Centerplate and the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning are demonstrating that everyone – including the fans – plays an important role in alcohol management.

“We want to congratulate the Pistons and their fans and remind everyone that true NBA Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk,” said Michael Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. “If you plan on consuming alcohol whether you are at the game or watching from a house party or sports bar, pass your keys to a sober, designated driver before the party begins. We commend all the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign partners for creating this incentive for fans who make the responsible decision to designate a driver.”

The Designated Driver program is a key component of the responsibility initiatives that TEAM Coalition -- an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, stadium service providers, concessionaires, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports facilities -- helps coordinate with professional sports leagues including the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL).

“Tying ‘Responsibility Has Its Rewards’ to our season-long ‘Good Sport’ program makes everyone a winner,” said Carol Clark, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “We’re pleased to work with TEAM, the Detroit Pistons, the NBA, and the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning 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.”

“We work closely with our clients to ensure fans make responsible decisions when it comes to alcohol,” said Centerplate President & CEO Janet L. Steinmayer. “The designated driver program is an important component of the alcohol management program at the Palace of Auburn Hills.”

The Designated Driver program is one of several components of the alcohol management plan at the Palace of Auburn Hills. In addition, alcohol management training for the employees of both Centerplate and the Palace gives employees the skills to observe fan behavior and serve alcoholic beverages in compliance with local laws and in a manner designed to encourage responsible consumption. Alcohol service policies are enforced to ensure only fans of legal drinking age are served alcoholic beverages. These combined efforts represent an alcohol management plan in which the fans, arena employees, corporate sponsors, and team representatives are all working toward common goals – promoting responsible alcohol consumption, positive fan behavior, and traffic safety.

“As a proud corporate partner of Anheuser-Busch and Centerplate, we're happy to help spread this message of responsibility, ” said Dan Hauser, executive vice president for the Detroit Pistons. “Pistons basketball has always been about creating the highest level of entertainment, while ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone who attends our games.”

Today, fans who embrace these goals will have a unique opportunity to show their dedication to the Pistons, because responsibility really does have its rewards.