HOUSTON, Texas (May 9, 2011) — Astros fans at tonight’s home game against the Cincinnati Reds will have an opportunity to serve as spokespeople for responsible behavior. The Houston Astros, Anheuser-Busch, ARAMARK, and TEAM Coalition are partnering to 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, Designate a Driver.”Fans must first make the Responsibility Has Its Rewards (RHIR) pledge to:
- Always have a designated driver
- Never drive drunk
- Always buckle up every trip every time
Those fans will have the opportunity to tape their own message about responsible behavior at the game. Public Service Announcements produced from the taping will air throughout the season on the Minute Maid Park video board and on local broadcast TV. In addition, the video clips will be e-mailed to participants so their moment of fame can be shared with family and friends. Fans from across MLB who pledge and demonstrate responsible behavior have a chance to be selected as the Astros Designated Driver for the Season and may win tickets to the first game of the 2011 World Series played at Minute Maid Park should the Astros advance to the Fall Classic or a trip to the 2012 MLB All-Star Game.
Click to via the PSA produced from the videos filmed at the event.
  
“Fans truly are the voice of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign” said Jill Pepper, executive director of TEAM Coalition. “Everyone that attends a game plays an important role in alcohol management by drinking responsibly, following the fan code of conduct, and always having a designated driver. We are happy partner with the Houston Astros, Anheuser-Busch, and ARAMARK to help spread the message of responsibility.”
“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. “When it comes to preventing drunk driving, we’re all part of the team.”
The Good Sport designated-driver program is one of several components of the alcohol management plan at Minute Maid Park. In addition, alcohol management training for employees gives them the skills to observe fan behavior and serve alcohol beverages in compliance with local laws and in a manner designed to encourage responsible consumption. Alcohol service policies are enforced to ensure only fans of legal drinking age are served alcohol beverages. These combined efforts represent an alcohol management plan in which the fans, arena employees, corporate sponsors and team representatives all are working toward common goals – promoting responsible alcohol consumption, positive fan behavior and traffic safety.
“The Houston Astros take the issue of alcohol management seriously. Game day should be safe and enjoyable for our fans, both at Minute Maid Park and as they travel home after the games,” said Marty Price, Senior Vice President of Events and Guest Services for the Houston Astros. “We’re proud that so many of our fans have chosen to demonstrate responsible behavior and embrace the Good Sport designated-driver program.”
“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 and Entertainment. “We remain fully committed to those we serve and the designated driver program is an important component of the alcohol management program at Minute Maid Park.”
On Monday, fans who pledge to be designated drivers will have a unique opportunity to show their dedication to the Astros, because responsibility really does have its rewards.
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 Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, National Basketball Association, 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, 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. Visit TEAM Coalition on the web at www.TEAMCoalition.org orwww.ResponsibilityHasItsRewards.org.
About Anheuser-Busch
For three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of wholesalers have invested more than $930 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking, prevent underage drinking and drunk driving and address college issues. For more information on these alcohol responsibility efforts and the progress being made, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.
About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. The company is recognized as one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” by the Ethisphere Institute, one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” by FORTUNE magazine and one of America’s Largest Private Companies by both FORTUNE and Forbes magazines. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 250,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more atwww.twitter.com/aramark.
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