(January 18, 2004) St. Louis, MO – The TEAM Coalition (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management) recognized the St. Louis Cardinals today with the Excellent Performer award for their commitment to promoting responsible alcohol consumption at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals were commended for training nearly 100% of their game-day operations staff in alcohol management, specifically designed to prevent alcohol-related incidents. In preparation for the 2003 season, 375 employees at Busch Stadium – from SportService concessions servers to ushers and ticket takers – were trained to identify potential alcohol abuse situations, prevent underage drinking, and handle fans who may have overindulged.

TEAM is a unique alliance of professional sports leagues – including Major League Baseball – entertainment facilities, concessionaires, brewers, broadcasters, government safety experts, and others united in an effort to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior. “Over the years, TEAM has proven to be an organization that works because of – not in spite of – its diversity in membership,” Jill Pepper, TEAM Executive Director, said.

“Major League Baseball and the clubs are committed to doing everything possible to make our ball parks a safe, fan-friendly place for our great fans,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “Alcohol management training is vital to achieving that goal, and I congratulate the St. Louis Cardinals for being recognized by the TEAM Coalition.”

“Beer and sports have a long and rich heritage in this country. There is nothing better than enjoying a cold beer at a ball game,” said St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, Inc. President and Beer Institute Chairman August A. Busch IV. “The Cardinals and Anheuser-Busch have a vested interest in promoting the responsible and legal consumption of our products. We want all fans to enjoy the game in a safe and enjoyable atmosphere.”

In addition to educating ballpark employees in alcohol management, the Cardinals continue to promote personal responsibility to the fans with their Good Sport designated driver program, a partnership with Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Fans who sign-up to be the designated driver at every home game agree to get everyone in their group home safely and in return they receive a free keychain and a soda or O’Douls non-alcohol brew.

“Alcohol management is just one component of our efforts to improve guest satisfaction,” said Cardinals Vice President of Stadium Operations Joe Abernathy. “We want to make the game day experience safe, as well as fun for our fans. That is why we educate our employees and promote the designated driver program.” 2004 will be the second season in which the Cardinals distribute information cards to season ticket holders and all fans who attend the first few home stands of the season. The cards explain the ground rules for fan behavior, stadium security procedures, and designated driver opportunities.

The award was presented Sunday at the Winter Warm-Up, a three-day event designed to get fans excited about the upcoming season.