Alexandria, VA, Dec. 16, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earlier this month the Los Angeles Galaxy and New England Revolution closed the door on the 2014 MLS season. After both clubs demonstrated amazing performances at MLS Cup 2014™, two supporters and their guests will be reminiscing for quite some time about the experience of a lifetime.
Joe Hernandez, from Whittier, CA, the Los Angeles Galaxy Designated Driver for the Season and Dominic Comino, a supporter from Norton, MA representing the New England Revolution, were selected as the grand prize winners of the "Responsibility Has Its Rewards" sweepstakes. The sweepstakes is in its tenth season, provided by Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition with support from Major League Soccer (MLS). It continues to succeed in raising awareness for the designated driver programs offered by MLS clubs.
Both winners and their guests attended MLS Cup 2014™ at StubHub Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 7. The winners were recognized on the field at halftime of the game after having been selected from among the record 32,819 supporters who pledged to be designated drivers at MLS games throughout the 2014 season, ensuring a safe ride home for their friends and family.
The top three MLS clubs for designated drivers in 2014 are:
- New England Revolution: 7,587 designated drivers
- Seattle Sounders FC: 6,258 designated drivers
- Real Salt Lake: 4,373 designated drivers
At MLS Cup 2014™, 135 MLS supporters pledged to be responsible by promising to always have a designated driver and never drive drunk. Those responsible MLS supporters received souvenir photos and fans over 21 received free El Jimador giveaways, as champions of responsibility. The promotion for responsible supporters at MLS Cup 2014™ was a partnership between TEAM Coalition, MLS and el Jimador.
"Major League Soccer is happy to support and continue to work alongside TEAM Coalition in support of the key objectives of improving the game day experience for all our guests, together with the extremely successful Responsibility Has Its Rewards and the Designated Driver programs," said Ray Whitworth, MLS Vice President of Operations & Security and TEAM Coalition second Vice Chairman. "The work that TEAM continues to be involved in can only make our events safer and more secure for all attending and supporting soccer. We are privileged to be a partner with TEAM."
"Anheuser-Busch has led our industry in promoting responsible drinking for 30 years and Budweiser Good Sport, which reminds supporters who choose to drink to do so responsibly and get their friends home safely, is one of our most visible programs," 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 supporters displays our collective responsibility to help keep our roads safe." Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers promote responsible drinking among MLS supporters by implementing Budweiser Good Sport fan-responsibility programs with 10 MLS venues throughout the season.
"We are excited about being part of TEAM Coalition and building upon our efforts to encourage responsible drinking at sporting events and concerts," said Brown-Forman's Vice President and Director of Corporate Responsibility, Rob Frederick. "We believe through collaboration we can more effectively promote positive fan behavior."
"All the responsibility programs we offered this season were great examples of how MLS and the league partners are able to show support for the clubs' efforts in coordination with the concessionaires, distillers, the brewers and the local beer wholesalers to encourage responsible supporter behavior," said Jill Pepper, executive director, TEAM Coalition. "Teamwork is what the Responsibility Has Its Rewards campaign is all about. It is proof that when everyone - including the supporters - takes responsibility, everyone wins."
About MLS Major League Soccer kicks off its 20th season in early March of 2015 featuring 20 clubs throughout the United States and Canada. The 2015 season will feature the most comprehensive U.S. media rights partnership in the history of the league, as eight-year agreements with ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision Deportes commence next year. The 2015 regular season schedule will be announced in the near future. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com. About Anheuser-Busch For more than three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of wholesalers have invested more than $1 billion 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 Brown-Forman For 140 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Jack Daniel's & Cola, Canadian Mist, Korbel, Gentleman Jack, el Jimador, Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, New Mix, Tuaca, and Woodford Reserve. Brown-Forman's brands are supported by nearly 3,900 employees and sold in approximately 135 countries worldwide. Brown-Forman's el Jimador is the Official Tequila of Major League Soccer. For more information go to www.brown-forman.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, National Basketball Association, NASCAR, 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, International Association of Venue Managers, Stadium Managers Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. TEAMCoalition.org, ResponsibilityHasItsRewards.org, FansDon'tLetFansDriveDrunk.org US DOT / NHTSA 2012 NATIONAL DATA: In 2013, 10,076 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related (BAC > 0.08) car crashes, a decrease of 2.4% from the 10,322 fatalities in 2012. Many, if not most of those lives would have been saved if people did not drive when they were impaired by alcohol or if they used sober, designated drivers or if they simply wore their seat belts. Statistics and research clearly show that 21-34 year old males are the demographic most likely to be involved in an automobile crash, drive when impaired by alcohol, and fail to buckle up. |
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A photo accompanying this release is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=29697
