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BALTIMORE, MD (January 3, 2011) – The Baltimore Ravens set a new record this season, and it had nothing to do with play on the field. This record was set by the fans for pledging to be designated drivers and helping to ensure a safe ride home from the game for friends and family. For the fourth year in a row, the Ravens are in the Top 5 of all NFL teams in terms of the number of fans who pledged to be designated drivers this season at M&T Bank Stadium. This season, more than 13,000 Ravens fans pledged to stay sober and help ensure a safe ride home for their friends and family by pledging to be a Budweiser Good Sport.
(left to right) Bryan Stansbury from Winner Distributing; Mark Salazar, Event Marketing Director for TEAM Coalition; John Cline, Manager, Event and Guest Services for the Baltimore Ravens; Joe Arena, General Manager for ARAMARK at M&T Bank Stadium
The Ravens, ARAMARK and Budweiser continue to partner and educate fans about the importance of using a designated driver, buckling up and demonstrating positive fan behavior. The message is simple: “Be a Good Sport. Be a Designated Driver.” The response from Ravens fans was massive.
“We want the game-day experience to continue to be safe and enjoyable for Ravens fans while they enjoy M&T Bank Stadium and as they travel home after the games,” said Roy Sommerhof, vice president of Stadium Operations for the Baltimore Ravens. “We’re proud of our fans’ commitment to responsible behavior and thrilled to reward them with such a great opportunity.”
“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 Sports, Entertainment & Conventions. “We remain fully committed to those we serve and the designated driver program is an important component of the alcohol management program at M&T Bank Stadium.”
Ravens fans who pledged to be designated drivers and demonstrate responsible behavior at any Ravens game throughout the season received a complimentary soft drink and a chance to be selected as the Designated Driver for the Season. The randomly-selected Ravens Designated Driver for the Season has a chance to win a trip to the Super Bowl or Pro Bowl as part of the sweepstakes component of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards (RHIR)campaign. The RHIR sweepstakes is in its eighth season, a partnership between the NFL and TEAM Coalition.
“Fans who pledge to be designated drivers are critical to the success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewardscampaign,” 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.”
“Tying Responsibility Has Its Rewards to our season-long Budweiser Good Sport program makes for a winning combination,” said Kathy Casso, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility for Anheuser-Busch. “We’re pleased to work with the Ravens, 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.”
The designated-driver program is just one component of the fan behavior initiatives offered by the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Other components include:
- A Fan Code of Conduct posted in and around M&T Bank Stadium
- Text messaging (text “RAVENS” + Message to 78247) empowers fans to report disruptive behavior to security
- Certification of over 8,100 employees across every department operating in M&T Bank Stadium in effective alcohol management training
- Alcohol service policies including ID checks for fans who appear to be 30 years of age or younger, no more than two alcoholic beverages per person per transaction and alcohol cut-off at the end of the third quarter
About TEAM Coalition
TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. TEAM’s members and supporters include the National Football League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Ovations Food Services, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, Elite Show Services, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. www.teamcoalition.org
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