Designated Drivers Honored During NBA All-Star Activities
DALLAS (Feb. 10, 2010) – The National Basketball Association (NBA), Dallas Mavericks and Anheuser-Busch are encouraging fans to be responsible and respect others while attending NBA All-Star activities in Dallas, Feb. 11 – 14, through the Good Sport program.
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 Anheuser-Busch and its Dallas-area distributor Ben E. Keith Company.
“NBA All-Star is a celebration of our game and the world’s best athletes, and it’s our goal to provide our fans with a safe, family-friendly experience during the events in Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington,” said Mark Tatum, executive vice president of Marketing Partnerships, National Basketball Association. “The Good Sport program and our partnership with Anheuser-Busch is a way to promote responsible fan behavior and reward NBA fans who volunteer to be designated drivers for their families and friends.”
“We are proud supporters of Anheuser-Busch’s Good Sport program,” said Kevin Bartholomew, president of Ben E. Keith Beverages. “We have always promoted responsible behavior when drinking, and through the Good Sport program, we can reward adults who volunteer to be designated drivers for their families and friends during NBA All-Star weekend.”
Adults may sign up for the opportunity to be the “Designated Driver of the Night” at Good Sport booths featured at several events during NBA All-Star 2010:
- NBA All-Star Saturday Night (Saturday, Feb. 13) – Good Sport booth located in Section 104, American Airlines Center; the first 300 fans who sign up to be a designated driver receive a free soda at the event; “Designated Driver of the Night” receives an autographed NBA basketball.
- Budweiser One Night Stand at the Palladium (Saturday, Feb. 13) – Good Sport booth located near the front entrance; fans who sign up to be a designated driver receive a free O’Doul’s at the event; “Designated Driver of the Night” receives a framed NBA jersey.
- NBA All-Star Game (Sunday, Feb. 14) – Good Sport booth located in Section 446, Cowboys Stadium; fans who sign up to be a designated driver receive Responsibility Matters beads; “Designated Driver of the Night” receives an autographed NBA basketball.
Good Sport NBA All-Star 2010 in Dallas
“The NBA has been a great supporter of the Good Sport program for many years, and we’re pleased to again partner with them to encourage fans to drink responsibly and make a designated driver part of their plans for the 2010 NBA All-Star festivities,” said Kathy Casso, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “The Good Sport program continues our commitment to promoting responsibility in our communities and helping to prevent drunk driving.”
Adult fans visiting the Good Sport booths at these events also will receive information about Anheuser-Busch’s Family Talk About Drinking program, which provides tips for parents on how to talk with their teens about drinking. Developed by authorities on education, family counseling and alcohol treatment, Family Talk helps prevent underage drinking by helping parents communicate openly and honestly with their teens about this important issue. Visit www.familytalkonline.com to download free materials. And for entertaining at home, copies of Anheuser-Busch’s Great Party Guide, which offers tips for responsible celebrating, also will be available.
According to a 2008 study conducted by Harris Interactive® for Anheuser-Busch, 94 percent of sports fans who drink beer, say they drink responsibly and in moderation. Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers promote responsible drinking among professional basketball fans by implementing Good Sport fan responsibility programs with 19 NBA teams throughout the season.
About the NBA
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2009-10 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in 41 languages. The league’s worldwide reach is also displayed in the 80 international players from 35 countries and territories on NBA rosters. NBA merchandise is sold in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s visitors coming from outside of North America. Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $115 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 440 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.
About Ben E. Keith Beverages
Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company’s Beverages division is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. For more information, please visit http://www.benekeith.com/beverage.
About Anheuser-Busch
Since 1982, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of wholesalers have invested more than $750 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking and prevent alcohol abuse. In 2009, for the sixth year in a row, the company ranked first in the beverage industry for social responsibility in FORTUNE magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies.” For more information on these efforts and the progress being made in fighting alcohol abuse, visit www.beeresponsible.com.
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Media Contact: Clara Ingram, Ben E. Keith Co.
claraingram@benekeith.com, (214) 267-6496
Kim Mandara, National Basketball Association
kmandara@nba.com, (212) 407-8086