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BALTIMORE, Md. – The Baltimore Ravens 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 Ravens have earned this honor. The Ravens join the Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, and Tennessee Titans in this prestigious ranking to help save lives on our nation’s highways.
“We want the game-day experience to continue to be safe and enjoyable for Ravens fans while they enjoy M&T Bank Stadium and as they travel home after the games,” said Roy Sommerhof, vice president of Stadium Operations for the Baltimore Ravens. “We’re proud of our fans’ commitment to responsible behavior and thrilled to reward them with such a great opportunity.”
Through the Anheuser-Busch Good Sport program, 15,000 Ravens fans promised to refrain from drinking and be the designated drivers to get their friends and family home safely from the games played at M&T Bank 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 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.”
“As a founding member of TEAM Coalition, ARAMARK understands the importance of working closely with our clients and partners to ensure that fans have a great experience, an important part of which is the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages," said Marc Bruno, president of ARAMARK Stadiums and Arenas. "We remain fully committed to those we serve and the designated driver program is an important component of the alcohol management program at M&T Bank Stadium.
During the 2007 NFL season, 14,000 Ravens fans and nearly 120,000 football fans nationwide planned ahead and made the responsible, winning play by pledging to be designated drivers. This season, the Ravens saw a 7 percent increase in participation. 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. And for the fans, it’s a great reminder that responsibility really does have its rewards,” said Jill Pepper, executive director of the TEAM Coalition.
One lucky Ravens fan, Howard Paper, was selected by TEAM Coalition as the Ravens Designated Driver for the season. The Designated Drivers of the Season from the 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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