Miami, Fla. (June 1, 2011) – Miami Heat fan Judy Green was particularly excited after the Heat won Game 1 of the 2011 NBA Finals last night. Ms. Green was named “Designated Driver for the Season” for the Heat and attended Game 1 last night as a grand prize winner of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes. Michael Jones was named “Designated Driver for the Season” for the Dallas Mavericks and will attend Game 3 of the 2011 NBA Finals. Green and Jones were randomly selected among all of the fans who pledged to be designated drivers at the Heat and Mavericks home games. Designated drivers pledge to refrain from drinking alcohol and provide their friends and family with a safe ride home.
From Left to Right: Aneisha Johnson Account Service Manager, Season Ticket Services & Retention for the Miami Heat; Mandy Llanes, Anheuser-Busch Director of Corporate Social Responsibility; Stacey McCoy, Miami Heat Manager of Guest Services; J. Preston Armstrong, guest of the Miami Heat Designated Driver for the Season; Judy Green, Miami Heat Designated Driver for the Season; Jim Cawley, NBA Senior Vice President of Security; Jill Pepper, TEAM Coalition Executive DirectorThroughout the season, the NBA, Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition, Anheuser-Busch and NBA teams across the country have worked together to make more fans aware of the designated-driver programs at NBA arenas, encourage responsible drinking and positive fan behavior and promote traffic safety. The success of those efforts is demonstrated by the fact that 65,000 adults pledged to be designated drivers during the 2010-11 season. A “Designated Driver for the Season” from an NBA team not playing in the 2011 NBA Finals also will randomly be chosen to attend the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.
The sweepstakes reminds adult fans who choose to drink to always have a designated driver, which shows the NBA is not only “Where Amazing Happens,” but also where responsibility happens.
The top five NBA teams for designated drivers at the end of the 2011 season are:
- Dallas Mavericks with 8,700 designated drivers
- Oklahoma City Thunder with 8,200 designated drivers
- Sacramento Kings with 7,600 designated drivers
- Houston Rockets with 5,400 designated drivers
- Golden State Warriors with 4,200 designated drivers
“The success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign with the NBA this season is a direct result of the commitment from the league, the teams and all the campaign partners,” said Jill Pepper, executive director of TEAM Coalition. “Teamwork is what this campaign is all about. We are demonstrating that when everyone – including the fans – takes responsibility, everyone wins.”
“Tying Responsibility Has Its Rewards to our season-long 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 NBA, 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.”
Anheuser-Busch’s Good Sport program promotes responsible fan behavior at sporting venues nationwide and rewards fans who volunteer to be designated drivers for their families and friends.
“Our partnership with TEAM Coalition has proven to be an invaluable part of our overall effort to create a safe environment in and around the arenas,” said NBA Senior Vice President, Security, Jim Cawley. “The fan experience is greatly enhanced in an environment characterized by responsible behavior and built on a sound safety and security program. We look forward to our continued relationship with our TEAM Coalition partners.”
TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, broadcasters, traffic safety experts and others that works to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at all sports and entertainment facilities.
| About TEAM Coalition
TEAM Coalition 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, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.www.teamcoalition.org. |
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 Judy Green, Miami Heat Designated Driver for the Season and her guest, J. Preston Armstrong. |
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