National TEAM Up 2 Win!® Program Rewards Responsible Fans in 2017

04/04/2017

TEAM Coalition celebrated both the NCAA® Women’s and Men’s Final Four® with the ninth year of the organization’s drunk driving prevention initiative, TEAMUp2Win!®. TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professionals in college sports, entertainment facilities, concessions, stadium services, the beverage industry, broadcasting, governmental traffic safety and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. This national program capitalized on the excitement of the 2017 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four® and encouraged fans to celebrate responsibly. To participate in TEAMUp2Win!, individuals made the pledge to:

  • Never drive drunk
  • Always have a designated driver
  • Never provide alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age
  • Always buckle up every trip every time

More than 1,100 fans across the country made the pledge. Each had a chance to win one of two grand prizes, a trip for two to the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four or a trip for two to the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four, provided courtesy of the NCAA and TEAM Coalition.

The Men’s Final Four prize winner was Sandi Neville. She traveled from Jeffersonville, IN to Phoenix and received a pair of tickets to the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four games on Saturday April 1 and the championship game on Monday, April 3 at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Women’s Final Four prize winner was Alexandra Wager. She traveled from Tulsa, OK and received two tickets to the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four games in Dallas, TX on Friday, March 31 and the championship game on Sunday, April 2 at American Airlines Center.

TEAM Coalition was also an on-site partner with the NCAA for all the festivities surrounding both the Men’s  and Women’s Final Four competitions. More than 4,000 fans made the pledge to be responsible at the three-day, outdoor March Madness Music Festival and the four-day indoor Fan Fest presented by Capital One at the Phoenix Convention Center.  Also, more than 1,000 fans made their pledge to never drive drunk and always have a designated driver at the Tourney Town™ presented by Capital One outside of American Airlines Center in Dallas. Every fan who made the pledge received souvenir photo after autographing the responsibility ball displaying the school colors and mascots of the Final Four competitors.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE FAN PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK!

[NCAA, Final Four, and March Madness are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.]
TEAMUp2Win! reaches fans beyond the basketball arena, reminding them to celebrate NCAA® March Madness® responsibly.Jill Pepper, Executive Director, TEAM Coalition
As a member of TEAM Coalition, the NCAA is very excited to partner with the TEAMUp2Win! promotion, and to encourage fans of NCAA March Madness to make their responsibility pledges so that all basketball fans can safely enjoy the games!Mary Wilfert, Associate Director, NCAA Sport Science Institute
NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes.
TEAM Coalition
TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, traffic safety experts and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. TEAM Coalition members and supporters include National Collegiate Athletic Association, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, Americrown, Aramark, Delaware North Sportservice, Legends, Spectra, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Constellation Brands, HEINEKEN USA, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information visit www.TEAMCoalition.org or www.FansDontLetFansDriveDrunk.org.

(L to R):

(L to R): Homer Wager, Guest of Winner; Alexandra Wager, NCAA Women’s Final Four TEAM Up 2 Win! Sweepstakes Winner; Sandi Neville, Men’s Final Four TEAM Up 2 Win! Sweepstakes Winner; Vicki Neville, Guest of Winner

US DOT / NHTSA 2015 NATIONAL DATA:

• In 2015, 10,265 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related (BAC > 0.08) car crashes, an increase of 3.2% from the 9,943 fatalities in 2014.

• Many, if not most of those lives would have been saved if people did not drive when they were impaired by alcohol or if they used sober, designated drivers or if they simply wore their seat belts.

• Statistics and research clearly show that 21-34 year old males are the demographic most likely to be involved in an automobile crash.

Author: jillteamcoalition
TEAM Coalition