Alexandria, VA, April 12, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TEAM Coalition (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management) celebrated both the NCAA® Women’s and Men’s Final Four® with the eighth year of the organization’s drunk driving prevention initiative, TEAMUp2Win!®. TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professionals in college sports, entertainment facilities, concessions, stadium service , the beverage industry, broadcasting, governmental traffic safety and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. This national program capitalized on the excitement of the 2016 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four® and encouraged fans to celebrate responsibly. To participate in TEAMUp2Win!, individuals made the pledge to:
- Never drive drunk
- Always have a designated driver
- Never provide alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age
- Always buckle up every trip every time
More than 3,600 fans across the country made the pledge. Each had a chance to win one of two grand prizes, a trip for two to the 2016 NCAA Men’s Final Four or a trip for two to the 2016 NCAA Women’s Final Four, provided courtesy of the NCAA and TEAM Coalition.
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The Men’s Final Four prize winner was Brian Pietragallo. He traveled from Lake Jackson to Houston and received two tickets to the 2016 NCAA Men’s Final Four games on Saturday April 2 and received two tickets to the championship game on Monday, April 4 at NRG Stadium.
The Women’s Final Four prize winner was Madeleine Radcliff. She received two tickets to the 2016 NCAA Women’s Final Four games in Indianapolis on Sunday, April 3 and received two tickets to the championship game on Tuesday, April 5 at Bankers Life Field House.
TEAM Coalition was also an on-site partner with the NCAA for the Men’s Final Four as well as the Women’s Final Four. More than 3,700 fans made the pledge to be responsible at the three-day, outdoor March Madness Music Festival at Discovery Green and the four-day indoor Fan Fest presented by Capital One at the Houston Convention Center. Also, 2,721 fans made their pledge to never drive drunk and always have a designated driver at the Tourney Town™ presented by Capital One at the Indianapolis Convention Center. Every fan who made the pledge received souvenir photo after autographing the responsibility ball displaying the school colors and mascots of the Final Four competitors.
TEAM Coalition executive director, Jill Pepper, said, “TEAMUp2Win! reaches fans beyond the basketball arena, reminding them to celebrate NCAA® March Madness® responsibly.” Mary Wilfert, associate director of NCAA Sport Science Institute said, “As a member of TEAM Coalition, the NCAA is very excited to partner with the TEAMUp2Win! promotion, and to encourage fans of NCAA March Madness to make their responsibility pledges so that all basketball fans can safely enjoy the games!” VisitTEAMUp2Win.orgfor more information. Participants must be 21 years of age or older.
[NCAA, Final Four, and March Madness are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.]
ABOUT the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes.
About TEAM Coalition
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. TEAM’s members and supporters include the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, Americrown, Aramark, Delaware North Sportservice, Legends, Spectra, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch, Constellation Brands, HEINEKEN USA, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For more information, go to www.TEAMUp2Win.org, www.TEAMCoalition.org or www.FansDontLetFansDriveDrunk.org.