DESIGNATED DRIVERS RECOGNIZED AT THE FINALS 2012 THROUGH THE “RESPONSIBILITY HAS ITS REWARDS” SWEEPSTAKES

06/18/2012

DESIGNATED DRIVERS RECOGNIZED AT THE FINALS 2012
THROUGH THE “RESPONSIBILITY HAS ITS REWARDS” SWEEPSTAKES
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Jill Pepper, TEAM Coalition 202-669-0357 jill@teamcoalition.org
MIAMI, FL. (06/18/2012) – Miami Heat fan Bill Bang was particularly excited after the Heat won Game 3 of The Finals 2012 last night. Bang was named “Designated Driver for the Season” for the Heat and attended Game 3 as a grand prize winner of the “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” sweepstakes.Lena Liles was named “Designated Driver for the Season” for the Oklahoma City Thunder and attended Game 1 of The Finals as the other grand prize winner of the sweepstakes. Bill and Lena were randomly selected among all of the fans who pledged to be designated drivers at the Thunder and Heat home games. Designated drivers pledge to refrain from drinking alcohol and provide their friends and family with a safe ride home.

(l to r) Jim Cawley, Senior Vice President of Security for the NBA; Spencer Bang; Bill Bang, Miami Heat Designated Driver for the Season; Christy Verbosky, TEAM Coalition; Stacey McCoy, Manager of Guest Services for the Miami Heat
Throughout the season, the NBA, Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition 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, positive fan behavior, and promote traffic safety. The success of those efforts is demonstrated by the fact that more than 43,000 adults pledged to be designated drivers during the 2011-12 season. A “Designated Driver for the Season” from an NBA team not playing in The Finals 2012 also will randomly be chosen to attend the 2013 NBA All-Star Game.The top five NBA teams for designated drivers at the end of the 2011-12 season are:

  • Dallas Mavericks with 7,116 designated drivers
  • Oklahoma City Thunder with 6,600 designated drivers
  • Sacramento Kings with 5,234 designated drivers
  • Houston Rockets with 4,500 designated drivers
  • San Antonio Spurs with 3,521 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.”

About 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 Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Football League, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies – Sportservice, Ovations Food Services, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch Companies, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, 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.

For more information, go to www.TEAMCoalition.orgwww.RHIR.org

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