PHILADELPHIA, PA, July 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In combination with the MLS All-Stars thrilling 3-2 victory over Chelsea FC, Major League Soccer (MLS), the Philadelphia Union, Budweiser and TEAM Coalition encouraged fans to be responsible and respect others while attending the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game and Soccer Celebration on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at PPL Park in Chester, PA. Responsibility elements included the Budweiser Good Sport program, safe-ride home options and the Responsibility Has Its Rewards sweepstakes for designated drivers.
Budweiser Good Sport is a comprehensive action plan that encourages a positive crowd environment by reminding fans to be responsible, respect the rights of others and use a designated driver. The program is supported by Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch and its Philadelphia-area wholesalers along with MLS, TEAM Coalition, PPL Park, Ovations Food Services and local law enforcement.
Responsibility Has Its Rewards is an MLS league-wide sweepstakes which rewards one randomly-selected fan who pledged to be a designated driver during the previous regular season with a trip to the All-Star Game. This year's winner is Sergio Medina, a responsible Chivas USA fan who attended the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game with his guest, Irma Preciado DeMedina. Sergio was recognized on the field, serving as a representative of the 11,000 MLS fans who pledged to be designated drivers last season.
"One of Major League Soccer's top priorities is the safety of our fans, and our partnerships with Budweiser and TEAM Coalition include excellent programs that provide positives message for our fans," said Evan Dabby, Senior Director of Supporter Relations and Safety for MLS. "We're pleased to work with Budweiser and TEAM Coalition to promote responsible habits."
Hundreds of adult soccer fans pledged to be responsible at the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game. Union fans who pledged to be responsible also filmed videos which will be used to produce a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for the Budweiser Good Sport Designated Driver program at PPL Park. All soccer fans who visited the TEAM Coalition booth at Soccer Celebration received a souvenir photo displaying the responsibility message along with All-Star images.
"For 30 years, Anheuser-Busch has led our industry in developing responsible drinking initiatives and Budweiser Good Sport, one of our most visible programs, promotes positive fan behavior through the use of designated drivers," said Kathy Casso, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility at Anheuser-Busch. "We all share the same streets after the game. This partnership with Major League Soccer, participating stadiums, concessionaires, TEAM Coalition and soccer fans displays our collective responsibility to help keep our roads safe."
Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers promote responsible drinking among MLS fans by implementingBudweiser Good Sport fan responsibility programs with 10 MLS clubs throughout the season.
"The success of the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign with Major League Soccer and Budweiser is a direct result of the commitment from the League, the MLS clubs, the wholesalers, concessionaires and all the campaign partners," said Jill Pepper, executive director of TEAM Coalition. "Teamwork is what this campaign is all about. We are demonstrating that when everyone - including the fans - takes responsibility, everyone wins."
About MLS
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. MLS features many stars from the U.S., Canada, and around the world. Major League Soccer's 17th season features 19 clubs each playing 34 regular-season matches. Those clubs include the Chicago Fire; Chivas USA; Colorado Rapids; Columbus Crew; D.C. United; FC Dallas; Houston Dynamo; 2011 MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy; New York Red Bulls; New England Revolution; Philadelphia Union; Portland Timbers; Real Salt Lake; San Jose Earthquakes; Seattle Sounders FC; Sporting Kansas City; Toronto FC; Vancouver Whitecaps FC; and, in their inaugural season, Montreal Impact. For more information about MLS, log on to the league's official website at www.MLSsoccer.com.
About Anheuser-Busch
For nearly three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of wholesalers have invested more than $930 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking, prevent underage drinking and drunk driving and address college issues. For more information on these alcohol responsibility efforts and the progress being made, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.
About TEAM Coalition
TEAM Coalition is an alliance of professional and collegiate sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaries, stadium service providers, the beer industry, distillers, broadcasters, traffic safety experts and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities. TEAM Coalition members and supporters include Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, ARAMARK, Delaware North Companies - Sportservice, Ovations Food Services, Beer Institute, National Beer Wholesalers Association, Anheuser-Busch Companies, MillerCoors, Brown-Forman, Live Nation, National Association of Broadcasters, Contemporary Services Corporation, Elite Show Services, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information, go to www.TEAMCoalition.org, www.RHIR.org
A photo accompanying this release is available at:
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