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World Champion Chicago White Sox Start 2006 Season Rewarding Fans for Responsible Behavior

Designated Driver Program Offers Responsible Alternative

"Responsibility Has Its Rewards" is the message to Chicago White Sox fans as the White Sox, Major League Baseball, Miller Brewing Company, the Illinois Department of Transportation, RADD, and the TEAM Coalition partner to educate Sox fans about the importance of designating a driver, buckling up, and demonstrating positive fan behavior.

For the third consecutive season, TEAM Coalition -- an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports facilities -- is coordinating a league-wide campaign, 'Responsibility Has Its Rewards' (RHIR), with Major League Baseball in support of existing designated driver programs sponsored by concessionaires and brewers where fans may win tickets to the World Series for pledging and demonstrating responsible behavior.

"Fan safety in the ballpark has always been a top priority for Major League Baseball," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "We believe this is an excellent program that emphasizes fans' safety to and from the ballpark."

Fans that participate in the designated driver program at U.S. Cellular Field pledge to get everyone in their group home safely after the game and have a chance to win tickets to the 2006 World Series. "We want the game-day experience to continue to be safe and enjoyable for White Sox fans while they are at the ballpark and as they travel home after the games," said Julie Taylor, White Sox Senior Director of Guest Services. "We are very happy to reward our fans with such a great opportunity for demonstrating responsible behavior."

Approximately 225,000 fans across the league pledged to be designated drivers during the 2005 season. Over 3,500 Sox fans participated in the designated driver program offered at U.S. Cellular Field supported by Miller Brewing Company, Sportservice, and Levy Restaurants. From those participants, one lucky RHIR designated driver for the season -- Brian Laibl -- was selected. When the White Sox hosted Game One of the 2005 World Series, Laibl and his son celebrated the White Sox victory on their way to sweeping the Astros in the Series.

"Miller Brewing Company has been working closely with professional sports teams like the White Sox for more than two decades to encourage responsible consumption at sporting events, and to help prevent underage access and drunk driving," said Kristin Kaplan Wolfe, Director of Alcohol Responsibility Initiatives for Miller Brewing Company. "We see our participation in TEAM as an important complement to our overall responsibility initiatives."

The goal for the 2006 season is to have 5,000 White Sox fans participate in the designated driver program. The White Sox, Miller Brewing Company and IL DOT reminded season-ticket holders of the designated driver program when they received their tickets. Included was the White Sox "House Rules for Guests" highlighting the RHIR guidelines for positive fan behavior and the locations of the designated driver program (behind homeplate on every level).

The World Champions are starting the season off with an added incentive for designated drivers at the home opener on Sunday vs. the Indians. One lucky fan that participates in the designated driver program will be selected as the RHIR designated driver of the game and win a RHIR VIP prize package, which includes a signed CD and photo of Josh Kelley, Hollywood Records recording artist and RADD celebrity messenger. (www.joshkelley.com)

Kelley will perform a pre-game acoustic set and sing the National Anthem, as well as sing America the Beautiful during the 7th inning stretch. "What a thrill to perform for the World Champion White Sox fans on opening night," said Kelley. "I am equally excited to be invited there as a RADD celebrity messenger representing a campaign that honors fans for buckling up and being designated drivers."

"This special RHIR promotion is an opportunity for the Chicago White Sox and MLB to show support for the clubs' efforts to encourage responsible fan behavior. For fans, it is a great reminder that responsibility has its rewards," said Jill Pepper, Executive Director of the TEAM Coalition.

TEAM's members and supporters include Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletics Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies - Sportservice, Beer Institute, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Miller Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, Clear Channel Entertainment, ESPN ABC Sports, National Association of Broadcasters, International Association of Assembly Managers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. www.teamcoalition.org.

Distributed by Market Wire