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San Diego, Calif. -- The San Diego Chargers are one of five NFL teams being recognized for their large number of fans pledging to be designated drivers at home games this season, the TEAM Coalition (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management) announced today. This is the second season in a row that the Chargers have earned this honor. The Chargers join the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, and Tennessee Titans in this prestigious ranking to help save lives on our nation’s highways.
“We want every game day to be safe and enjoyable for our fans, both in the stadium and as they travel home after the games,” said Chargers Chief Operating Officer Jim Steeg. “We’re proud that so many of our fans continue to choose to demonstrate responsible behavior.”
Through the Anheuser-Busch Good Sport program, nearly 8,000 Chargers fans promised to refrain from drinking and be the designated drivers to get their friends and family home safely from the games played  at Qualcomm Stadium this season. TEAM Coalition has been aggressively promoting the designated driver program at NFL stadiums since 2003 with a league-wide campaign called Responsibility Has Its Rewards. The campaign encourages fans to participate in designated driver programs supported by beer and concessionaire companies at every NFL stadium nationwide.
“We’re pleased to be able to recognize those teams whose fans show such a strong commitment to responsibility by volunteering to be the designated drivers for their parties on game day,” said Carol Clark, Anheuser-Busch vice president of corporate social responsibility. “When it comes to preventing drunk driving, we’re all part of the team.”
“We work closely with our clients to ensure fans make responsible decisions when it comes to alcohol,” said Centerplate President and CEO Janet L. Steinmayer. “The designated driver program is an important component of the alcohol management program at Qualcomm Stadium.”
During the 2007 NFL season, 7,000 Chargers fans and more than 120,000 football fans planned ahead and made the responsible, winning play by pledging to be designated drivers. This season, the Chargers saw a 14 percent increase in participation in the designated driver program. The league-wide total is 140,000.
“This promotion is an opportunity for the NFL to show support for the teams’ efforts in coordination with the concessionaire, brewer and beer wholesaler to encourage responsible fan behavior,” said Jill Pepper, executive director of the TEAM Coalition. “And for the fans, it’s a great reminder that responsibility really does have its rewards.”
One lucky Chargers fan, Ron Lyons, was selected by TEAM Coalition as the Chargers' Designated Driver of the season. The Designated Drivers for the Season from the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers will join their favorite teams at Super Bowl XLIII®, which will be played on Feb. 1, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium in Florida. The Designated Driver for the Season from the Seattle Seahawks won a trip to the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl® in Honolulu, Hawaii. The winner of the Pro Bowl prize was selected by TEAM Coalition through a random drawing after the NFC and AFC Champions were determined.
Fortunately, football fans join millions of other Americans in doing the “ride thing.” According to a national survey by TNS Custom Research Inc., nearly two out of three adults – more than 137 million Americans – have been a designated driver or been driven home by one.
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 – coordinated Responsibility Has Its Rewards.
For more information, please visit www.TeamCoalition.org or
www.rhir.org.
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