(Washington, DC) – This baseball season, don’t be surprised if fans are jumping at the chance to be a designated driver at baseball games. That’s because fans know there are big rewards for those who pledge to be the sober designated driver, wear their safety belts in their automobiles and safely drive their friends and family. The season-long promotion launches on Opening Day in ballparks nationwide.

In a promotion coordinated by Major League Baseball^® (MLB) and the TEAM Coalition, fans who pledge to be designated drivers at any game enter a drawing to be selected as that Club’s designated driver for the season. The selected designated drivers for the two Clubs that play in the 2005 World Series® will each receive two tickets to their Club’s first home Series game. One designated driver for the season from a Club that does not play in the World Series will be chosen at random to attend the 2006 MLB All-Star Game® in Pittsburgh.

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that young males 21-34 years-old are most likely to be involved in automobile crashes, drive impaired and less likely to wear safety belts. Market research also shows that this demographic is a core audience for sporting and entertainment programming and events.

The Responsibility Has Its Rewards promotion was created to help ensure fan safety, one of the League’s top priorities. "This is an excellent program” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "It helped keep our fans safe last season and will continue to do so again this year.”

During the 2004 season, over 160,000 baseball fans pledged to be designated drivers as a part of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards promotion. Designated drivers for the season from the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed watching their favorite Clubs compete in the World Series®. And in July of this year, the designated driver for last season selected from the Philadelphia Phillies will attend the MLB All-Star Game® in Detroit.

"Safety is the Bush Administration’s top transportation priority.” said NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D. “I commend Major League Baseball for their leadership in extending the reach of our lifesaving messages and reminding fans everywhere to designate a sober driver and to buckle up - every trip, every time.”

In March, NHTSA recognized MLB with a public service award at the Lifesavers conference held in Charlotte, NC for their efforts in promoting traffic safety messages through the Click It or Ticket campaign in May 2004 as part of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards umbrella campaign.

“This program underscores the fact that promoting responsible drinking behavior is not just the responsibility of one group. By working together, baseball, TEAM, the concessionaires, and breweries can implement successful awareness programs,” added Jeff Becker, President, Beer Institute.

“Along with Major League Baseball, our goal is to keep baseball fans safe while enjoying one of America’s great pastimes. This promotion reminds fans that responsibility really does have its rewards,” said Jill Pepper, Executive Director of the TEAM Coalition.

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 – has coordinated this league-wide promotion in support of existing designated driver programs designed to reward fans for responsible behavior.

The contest will begin in all ballparks on Opening Day. Official contest rules are available at www.teamcoalition.org.