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Foxborough, MASS. (April 1, 2010) - New England Revolution fans will have an opportunity to serve as spokespeople for responsible behavior at the upcoming viewing party at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. The game is against D.C. United on Saturday, April 3 at RFK Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET). The New England Revolution, Gillette Stadium, The HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers and TEAM Coalition are partnering to educate fans about the importance of using a designated driver, buckling up and demonstrating positive fan behavior. The message is simple: "Be a HERO, Be a Designated Driver."
"The HERO Campaign is proud to be associated with the New England Revolution, Major League Soccer, and our partners in promoting the use of designated drivers in memory of our son John," said Bill Elliott, Chairman of the HERO Campaign. "A designated driver is truly a hero by keeping others safe on the way home after the game. Our goal is to register a million designated drivers nationwide and make the use of designated drivers as automatic as wearing a seatbelt."
Fans must first make the Responsibility Has Its Rewards (RHIR) pledge to:
- Always have a designated driver
- Never drive drunk
- Always buckle up every trip every time
Those fans will have the opportunity to tape their own message about responsible behavior at the game. Public Service Announcements produced from the taping will air throughout the season on Gillette Stadium's 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 with family and friends. New England Revolution fans who pledge and demonstrate responsible behavior at any New England Revolution game throughout the season have a chance to be selected as the New England Revolution Designated Driver for the Season and may win a trip to MLS Cup 2010 on November 21st, 2010 at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, or the 2011 MLS 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," said Jill Pepper, executive director of TEAM Coalition. "Teamwork is exactly what this campaign is all about, and through this program we are demonstrating that when everyone - including the fans - takes responsibility, everyone wins."
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 Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL).
The designated driver program is one of several components of the alcohol management plan at Gillette Stadium. In addition, alcohol management training for the venue's employees gives them the skills to observe fan behavior and serve alcoholic beverages in compliance with local and state 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 all are working toward common goals - promoting responsible alcohol consumption, positive fan behavior and traffic safety.
"Revolution matches are a fun and entertaining way for friends and fans to get together, but we want our fans to be safe and smart, whether inside the stadium or driving home afterward," New England Revolution Chief Operating Officer Brian Bilello said. "We hope our fans will embrace this program because their safety is our priority."
Saturday, fans who pledge to be designated drivers will have a unique opportunity to show their dedication to the New England Revolution, because responsibility really does have its rewards.
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TEAM's members and supporters include Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, Elite Show Services, International Association of Assembly Managers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Visit www.teamcoalition.org for more details.
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