Responsibility Has Its Rewards at the 2015 NBA All-Star Game -

02/16/2015

NEW YORK, NY (February 16, 2015) – Among the sold out crowd in Madison Square Garden for the 64th NBA All-Star Game last night, New York Knicks fan Brian Fagen was in attendance as the first prize winner of the “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” sweepstakes for designated drivers. Fagen, a resident of Syosset, New York, was named “Designated Driver for the Season” for the Knicks for the 2013-14 season. All 30 NBA teams selected a Designated Driver for the Season. Mr. Fagen was the lucky one randomly selected to represent the nearly 65,000 responsible NBA fans who pledged to be designated drivers last season.

For the last eight NBA seasons, the NBA, Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition and NBA teams across the country have been working together to make more fans aware of the designated driver programs at NBA arenas, promote traffic safety and encourage responsible drinking and positive fan behavior. The success of those efforts is demonstrated by the fact that designated driver program participation has more than tripled league-wide since the partnership began in 2006.

The “Responsibility Has Its Rewards” sweepstakes grand prize winners were Jim Corbin and Gerald Mitkowsky. Cobin was named “Designated Driver for the Season” for the San Antonio Spurs and Mitkowsky was selected to represent the Miami Heat for the 2013-14 season. Corbin attended game one of The Finals 2014 and Mitkowsky attended game 3. Designated drivers pledge to refrain from drinking alcohol at the game and provide their friends and family with a safe ride home.

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CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE FAN PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK!

TEAM Coalition has proven to be an invaluable partner. Specifically, we appreciate TEAM Coalition’s ardent commitment in our continued efforts to create a safe environment at each of the league’s arenas. The fan experience is significantly enriched in an atmosphere characterized by conscientious behavior. The foundation for this positive fan experience is our continued partnering to provide a comprehensive safety and security program. We look forward to our continued relationship with our TEAM Coalition partners.<span class="su-quote-cite">Jerome Pickett, Senior Vice President, Chief Security Officer, NBA</span>

Anheuser-Busch has led our industry in promoting responsible drinking for more than 30 years and Bud Light Good Sport is one of our most visible programs, which reminds fans who choose to drink, to do so responsibly and get their friends home safely. We all share the same streets after the game. This partnership with the National Basketball League, participating stadiums, concessionaires, TEAM Coalition and football fans displays our commitment to keeping our roads safe.<span class="su-quote-cite">Bill Bradley, Senior Director, Corporate Social Responsibility Advertising and Outreach, Anheuser-Busch</span>

National Basketball League

For more information, see http://www.nba.com/

Anheuser-Busch

For more than three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of wholesalers have invested more than $1 billion 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

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, Americrown, Aramark, Delaware North Sportservice, Legends, Spectra, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Constellation Brands, HEINEKEN USA, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information visit www.TEAMCoalition.org or www.FansDontLetFansDriveDrunk.org.

US DOT / NHTSA 2013 NATIONAL DATA:

• In 2013, 10,076 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related (BAC > 0.08) car crashes, a decrease of 2.4% from the 10,322 fatalities in 2012.

• Many, if not most of those lives would have been saved if people did not drive when they were impaired by alcohol or if they used sober, designated drivers or if they simply wore their seat belts.

• Statistics and research clearly show that 21-34 year old males are the demographic most likely to be involved in an automobile crash, drive when impaired by alcohol, and fail to buckle up.

Author: jacksonteamcoalition