TEAM Coalition (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management) proudly recognized this year’s training certification and designated driver program award winners at the 2014 MLB Stadium Operations Meeting on November 20, 2014. TEAM Coalition is a unique alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, stadium service providers, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities.
“Alcohol management training and certification is the bread and butter of what the Coalition offers its members. No other league embraces the training program as significantly as Major League Baseball,” said Jill Pepper, TEAM executive director. “More than half of the 30 MLB Clubs earned training awards this year. That is truly remarkable. It is a testament to MLB’s commitment to employee training and its positive impact on fan behavior.”
In 2014, nearly 50,000 employees from over 160 facilities became certified in the training program. The 14,000 employees from MLB ballparks that became TEAM-certified in 2014 – including ushers, ticket takers, guest services representatives and the employees of concessionaire companies – represented nearly one-third of that total. Click here to see all the MLB training award winners.
A record-breaking 569,448 MLB fans pledged to be designated drivers during the 2014 MLB season. The Designated Drivers for the Season from the Kansas City Royals, Steve Stras, and the San Francisco Giants, Val Zabko, attended the 2014 World Series Games 1 and 3, respectively, as the grand prize winners of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes for designated drivers. At the 2014 MLB Stadium Operations Meetings, the Designated Driver for the Season from the Milwaukee Brewers, Laurie Bosch, was selected as the first prize winner of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes. Laurie and a guest will attend the 2015 MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH, home of the Cincinnati Reds.
The Top 5 MLB Clubs for Designated Drivers were recognized, in addition to the Club with the greatest increase in participation in the designated driver program. Click here to see the MLB designated driver program winners. In conjunction with Budweiser, the official beer of MLB, TEAM Coalition supported five Budweiser Good Sport Designated Driver Challenges. Eleven Clubs participated. Click here to see the Designated Driver Challenge winners.
Congratulations to all Clubs and thank you to all their responsible fans!
