World Cup Fans Rewarded for Responsible Behavior at Viewing Party

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Designated Driver Program Offers Responsible Alternative

"Los Aficionados Del Fútbol No Dejan Que Sus Amigos Manejen Borrachos (Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk)" will be a universal chant for all soccer fans at the World Cup Viewing Party this Friday, June 30th no matter which team they support. Miller Brewing Company, Univision and TEAM Coalition are partnering to educate World Cup fans about the importance of designating a driver, buckling up, and demonstrating positive fan behavior. And the spokespeople for this important message will be the soccer fans themselves.

While thousands of fans show their loyalty to the world's most popular sport and their favorite national teams, those who pledge to be the Conductor Designado (Designated Driver) for their friends and family at the party at the Houston fairgrounds will have a chance to star in their own message about responsible behavior. PSAs produced using footage from the Viewing Party will air nationally on Univision. Fans will also be able to view their messages online.

This event is part of TEAM Coalition's 'Responsibility Has Its Rewards' campaign. TEAM Coalition -- an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, stadium service partners, concessionaires, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports facilities -- has coordinated the 'Responsibility Has Its Rewards' (RHIR) campaign with MLB, MLS, NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, and NCAA in support of designated driver programs sponsored by concessionaires and brewers. As part of RHIR fan outreach efforts, fans may win valuable prizes ranging from branded items from their favorite sports teams to tickets to championship games all for pledging and demonstrating responsible behavior.

"Giving fans the opportunity to be the voice of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign personalizes the 'Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk' message. Miller Brewing Company and Univision are demonstrating that everyone -- including the fans -- plays an important role in alcohol management. Teamwork is exactly what this campaign is all about," said Jill Pepper, Executive Director of the TEAM Coalition.

Whether fans are watching their favorite teams compete on TV at the local sports bar or live at the stadium, the RHIR campaign rewards those fans who make the responsible decision to be the designated driver for their friends and family, ensuring that everyone in their group gets home safely after the game. Each year hundreds of thousands of fans across all professional sports leagues pledge to be designated drivers. "Miller Brewing Company has been working closely with professional sports teams 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 designated driver program is a valuable component of the alcohol management efforts TEAM supports at sports and entertainment facilities across the country. In addition, through TEAM training, employees of these venues are trained to observe fan behavior and intervene when fans are acting inappropriately. Alcohol service policies are enforced to encourage only fans of legal drinking age to consume alcohol responsibly. These efforts represent a complete alcohol management plan in which the fans, stadium employees, corporate sponsors, state government traffic safety experts and team representatives are all working toward common goals -- responsible alcohol consumption, positive fan behavior, and traffic safety. While enjoying the World Cup matches, fans who embrace these goals will have a unique opportunity to show their dedication to the sport they love, because responsibility really does have its rewards.

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, LiveNation, ESPN ABC Sports, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, International Association of Assembly Managers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. www.teamcoalition.org.

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World Cup Fans Rewarded for Responsible Behavior at Viewing Party

Designated Driver Program Offers Responsible Alternative