SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER

TEAM Coalition is an 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.

This newsletter is shared monthly with key stakeholders. It is named The Reasonable Effort because the legal term “Reasonable Efforts” are the critical components of a solid alcohol management program which encourage responsible fan behavior and mitigate risk for venue operators with respect to alcohol. Each month, the newsletter shares stories and examples of Reasonable Efforts in practice. We are eager for your feedback on the content. Share your alcohol management story with us by emailing info@teamcoalition.org. We would love to highlight your Reasonable Efforts in a future newsletter.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BEST PRACTICES

MASTER TRAINER SPOTLIGHT

BOARD NEWS

COMMITTEE REPORTS

OPINION POLL

RESULTS

BEST PRACTICES ON DISPLAY

BUFFALO BILLS AT BILLS STADIUM

All the reasonable efforts incorporated into a solid alcohol management program.

The Buffalo Bills and their venue partners at Bills Stadium have embraced every item on the reasonable efforts list that TEAM Coalition shares at Instructor Development Program (IDP) workshops. From employee training to fan engagement to coordinating efforts with local law enforcement and the state liquor authority, if it encourages positive fan behavior and it discourages drunk driving, then the Buffalo Bills are all over it.

SEE THE BILLS DESIGNATED DRIVER PROGRAM DETAILS.

COMMITMENT TO TRAINING

Since 2007, the year the Buffalo Bills first embraced TEAM training, the Bills have won annual awards from TEAM Coalition for prestigious achievement, defined as certifying 90% or more of the entire roster of game day employees in TEAM’s alcohol management training program. That accomplishment is matched among NFL teams by only one other, the Bills division rival the New England Patriots.

“Partnering with TEAM Coalition on these important initiatives that promote positive, safe and responsible fan behavior has literally helped us reduce the number of incidents at our games, and has made the Fan Experience at Bills Stadium more enjoyable for all of our valued fans.  From the team member training to the safe ride home and designated driver programs, the Bills, TEAM Coalition, the NFL, and our great fans have collectively made some tremendous strides to enhance the Fan Experience.” 

— Andy Major

Vice President Operations & Guest Experience
Buffalo Bills

As of 10/14/20

     
Outdoor Stadiums                Indoor Arenas

In the last thirteen years, a total of 23,374 employees have become TEAM certified at Bills Stadium. Not only do the Bills certify their employees in TEAM training, but also they encourage their venue partners, past and present, to do the same. Those partners that embrace employee training in alcohol management have included Delaware North Sportservice, AllPro Parking, security staffing companies and the facilities cleaning vendor as well.

FAN ENGAGEMENT TOPS THE NFL

POSITIVE CULTURE CHANGE TAKING PLACE AT BILLS STADIUM WITH STAFF & FANS

In 2019, the Bills received 29,423 pledges from fans promising to prevent drunk driving by either having a designated driver or being a designated driver. That number was a new record for the Bills, and it earned them the top spot for most responsibility pledges among all NFL teams last season. MORE

MASTER TRAINER SPOTLIGHT

“Being a Master Trainer for TEAM has been one of the highlights of my career.  Knowing that I am training the trainers that will go back to their venues and train their associates in what it means to serve alcohol responsibly is humbling but also gratifying.  Seeing the trainers make the connection between responsible alcohol service and the fan experience in their venue and how the associates are the frontline in ensuring that the policies and procedures are implemented is a wonderful feeling as a Master Trainer for TEAM.”

— Marie Eslick

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
DELAWARE NORTH SPORTSERVICE

MARIE ESLICK

Human Resources Manager
Delaware North Sportservice

Marie has been a TEAM trainer since 2001. Marie has trained and certified nearly 6,700 Sportservice employees at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH and Target Field and Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. Marie became a Master Trainer in 2004. She has trained 571 new TEAM trainers.

MARIE’S MISSION MOMENT WITH TEAM COALITION

One of the positive outcomes of embracing TEAM training is the consistently high marks scored on alcohol mystery shops conducted by our internal staff and the company-hired outside organization.  This shows that the associates and management staff are committed to responsible alcohol service during interactions with fans.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NEWS

TEAM WELCOMES NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

At the TEAM Coalition Membership Meeting on September 17, 2020, several new members were elected to the Board of Directors for TEAM Coalition.

Kevin Tedesco, Resident District Manager/ General Manager Citizens Bank Park for Aramark, was elected as the new chair of the training committee.

 

 

Ashley Cahill, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility | Better World at Anheuser-Busch, was elected as the new chair of the communications and marketing committee.

See the complete TEAM Coalition Board of Directors.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

TRAINING

The Training Committee, led by the newly-elected Chair, Kevin Tedesco, is challenged to maintain the TEAM alcohol management training product as the Gold Standard in the industry. To accomplish that, the committee works to:

  • Enhance the training content, like with the launch of online employee training
  • Ensure the training program is competitively priced
  • Provide teaching tips so that TEAM trainers are the best of the best
  • Grow the customer base of TEAM training so that more and more facilities and organizations use the product every year

Member representatives, strategic partners and master trainers interested in serving on the training committee should email info@teamcoalition.org.

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

The Communications & Marketing Committee, led by the newly-elected Chair Ashley Cahill, is challenged on two fronts.

  • The committee will reimagine fan engagement offerings that communicate alcohol responsibility with the goal of generating greater awareness and participation in by sports and entertainment fans. At the same time, the committee will provide a robust toolkit of responsibility activation elements for use by venue operators and member organizations alike.
  • The committee will help tell the TEAM Coalition story by developing and implementing a communications plan and brand standards, improving TEAM’s online presence and enhancing the organization’s relationship with the media. Creating content for this newsletter is a perfect example of what the Communications & Marketing Committee does.

Member representatives, strategic partners and master trainers interested in serving on the communications & marketing committee should email info@teamcoalition.org.

MEMBERSHIP

The Membership Committee is focused on the value proposition for members, current and future. This committee listend to what our members and the industry say they need to ensure that alcohol is served and consumed responsibly in and around all sports and entertainment facilities nationwide. Then the committee works with members and subject matter experts to fill those requests for lessons learned, best practices, technology solutions and training techniques to minimize risk and maximize positive fan behavior.

The Membership Committee Chairperson position is open. Interested member representatives, strategic partners and master trainers should email info@teamcoalition.org.

GOVERNANCE & FINANCE

The Governance & Finance Committee is co-chaired by the Secretary and Treasurer of the organization.

  • It will oversee the development of board rubric, board recruitment, board onboarding, evaluations, policy development, adherence to bylaws, financial reporting and the annual audit.
  • The committee will work with staff and other committee chairs to develop the annual budget to be approved by the board and the membership.

The Governance & Finance Committee Co-Chairs – Secretary and Treasurer for the organization – positions are open. Interested member representatives, strategic partners and master trainers should email info@teamcoalition.org.

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