San Diego Chargers and Partners Send Designated Driver for the Season To the Pro Bowl

Designated Driver Program Offers Responsible Alternative

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 21 -- "Responsibility Has Its Rewards" was the message to San Diego Chargers fans as the San Diego Chargers, the NFL, and the TEAM Coalition joined forces to get the word out to fans about the importance of responsible drinking and always using a designated driver throughout the 2003 NFL season. And the message could not ring more true for Ronald Leverette. He was selected as the designated driver for the season for the Chargers, and he is going to the Pro Bowl.

TEAM Coalition -- an alliance of professional 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 an NFL- wide promotion in support of existing designated driver programs. TEAM and its partners are educating fans about the importance of drinking responsibly and always buckling up and designating a sober driver.

"We want the game-day experience to continue to be safe and enjoyable for Chargers fans while they are at the stadium and as they travel home after the games," said Kevin Daly, Game Operations Manager for the Chargers.

Several hundred Chargers fans participated in the designated driver program at Qualcomm Stadium. From those participants, one lucky designated driver for the season -- Ronald Leverette -- was selected.

Although the Chargers will not be playing at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX on February 1, 2004, Mr. Leverette was selected from all the other designated drivers for the season whose team is not playing in the Super Bowl as the winner of a trip to the Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl prize package includes two game tickets, airfare, and hotel accommodations. Official contest rules are available at www.teamcoalition.org.

"This promotion was an opportunity for the NFL to show support for the clubs' efforts to encourage responsible fan behavior. And for the fans, it is a great reminder that responsibility has its rewards," said Jill Pepper, Executive Director of the TEAM Coalition.

Roger Goodell, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the National Football League added, "The NFL has strongly supported the TEAM program for nearly 15 years. The positive contributions made by TEAM are far reaching."

The designated driver booth program at Qualcomm Stadium offers fans a solution to the problem of how to get home safely after drinking at the game: the designated driver. The person who chooses to stay sober, drives everyone else home safely and makes sure everyone buckles up gets a free soda courtesy of Centerplate. "This program shows how the NFL, TEAM, the concessionaires and breweries can all work together to implement successful awareness programs," added Pepper.

A recent survey conducted by Data Development Corporation shows that the Designated Driver concept is well known in America. Nearly all Americans (94%) are aware of the concept. More importantly, the role of Designated Driver is being assumed by millions of Americans (122 million people have either been a Designated Driver or have been driven home by one). Nearly all Americans (98%) believe that Designated Drivers help save lives.

TEAM's membership includes Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, ARAMARK, Beer Institute, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Miller Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, National Association of Broadcasters, International Association of Assembly Managers, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information on the TEAM Coalition please log on to www.teamcoalition.org.