DETROIT, MI -- October 20, 2006 -- "Responsibility Has Its Rewards" was the message to Detroit Tigers fans as the Tigers, Major League Baseball and the TEAM Coalition joined forces to get the word out to fans about the importance of responsible drinking and always using a designated driver.

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 facilities – coordinated a league-wide promotion with Major League Baseball called “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” in support of existing designated driver programs sponsored by concessionaires and brewers. TEAM and its partners are educating fans about the importance of drinking responsibly and always buckling up and designating a driver.

Approximately 280,000 fans pledged to be designated drivers during the season. Over 17,000 Tigers fans participated in the designated driver program offered at Comerica Park supported by the Anheuser Busch, Budweiser Good Sport designated driver program and Sportservice. From those participants, one lucky designated driver for the season -- David Ziviski -- was selected.

When the Tigers host Game One of the World Series on Saturday, Ziviski and his wife will be at Comerica Park. A secondary prize of a trip to the 2007 All-Star Game® at AT&T Park in San Francisco will be awarded to one of the 28 designated drivers for the season whose team does not play in the World Series.

“Tying “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” to our season-long “Good Sport” designated driver program makes everyone a winner,” said John Kaestner, vice president of Consumer Affairs for Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. “We’re pleased to work with TEAM, the Tigers and Major League Baseball to recognize our fans for looking out for each other before, during and after the game, and making a designated driver part of their game plan. When it comes to preventing drunk driving, we’re all part of the team.”

“This promotion is an opportunity for MLB to show support for the clubs’ efforts in coordination with the concessionaire, brewer, and beer wholesaler to encourage responsible fan behavior. And for the fans, it is a great reminder that responsibility really does have its rewards,” said Jill Pepper, Executive Director of the TEAM Coalition.

"Fan safety in the ballpark has always been a top priority for Major League Baseball," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "We believe this is an excellent program that emphasizes fans' safety to and from the ballpark."

Through the designated driver program, fans who sign up pledge to get everyone in their group home safely after the game. "We want the game-day experience to continue to be safe and enjoyable for Tigers fans while they are at the ballpark and as they travel home after the games," said Mike Healy, Tigers Vice President of Park Operations. "We are very happy to reward our fans with such a great opportunity for demonstrating responsible behavior."

"The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning fully supports programs that promote the use of designated drivers, and we commend Comerica Park for taking part in this effort," said Michael L. Prince, OHSP division director.