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PHILADELPHIA, Penn. (4/2/09) -- While the Phillies host the Tampa Bay Rays for the final 2009 Spring Training game of the season on Saturday April 4th, 2009 at Citizens Bank Park, Phillies fans will have an opportunity to serve as spokespeople for responsible behavior. The Philadelphia Phillies, Anheuser-Busch, The Ensign John R. Elliott Hero Campaign® 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 Phillies, Major League Baseball, 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. The video clips will be e-mailed to participants so their moment of fame can be shared with family and friends. Fans from across Major League Baseball who pledge and demonstrate responsible behavior have a chance to be selected as the Phillies Designated Driver for the Season and may win tickets to the first game of the 2009 World Series® if played at Citizens Bank Park or a trip to the 2010 MLB All-Star Game® at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
“Giving fans the opportunity to be the voice of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign personalizes the designated driver message,” said Jill Pepper, Executive Director of TEAM Coalition. “Teamwork is exactly what this campaign is all about, and through this program the Philadelphia Phillies, The HERO Campaign, and Anheuser-Busch are demonstrating that everyone – including the fans – plays an important role in alcohol management.”
The Good Sport 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 Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL).
“Tying Responsibility Has Its Rewards to our season-long Good Sport program makes for a winning combination,” said Carol Clark, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Anheuser-Busch. “We’re pleased to work with TEAM and the other program partners 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.”
“As a founding member of TEAM Coalition, ARAMARK understands the importance of working closely with our clients and partners to ensure that fans have a great experience, an important part of which is the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages," said Marc Bruno, president of ARAMARK Stadiums and Arenas. "We remain fully committed to those we serve and the designated driver program is an important component of the alcohol management program at Citizens Bank Park.
The Good Sport designated-driver program is one of several components of the alcohol management plan at Citizens Bank Park. In addition, alcohol management training for the Citizens Bank Park employees gives them the skills to observe fan behavior and serve alcohol 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 alcohol 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.
“The Philadelphia Phillies take the issue of alcohol management seriously. Game day should be safe and enjoyable for our fans, both at Citizens Bank Park and as they travel home after the games,” said Michael Stiles, Vice President of Operations and Administration for the Philadelphia Phillies. “We’re proud that so many of our fans have chosen to demonstrate responsible behavior and embrace the ‘Be A Hero’ message for the Good Sport designated-driver program.”
Saturday, fans who pledge to be designated drivers will have a unique opportunity to show their dedication to the Phillies, 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, the National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Beer Institute, Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, International Association of Assembly Managers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Visit www.teamcoalition.org for more details.
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