St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, Major League Baseball, The St. Louis Cardinals Announce 'Responsibility Matters Day' to Recognize Anheuser-Busch's Safe-Ride Home Initiatives for All-Star Game Festivities

ST. LOUIS (Map) - ST. LOUIS, July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help drive home the importance of responsible drinking during MLB(R) All-Star Week(R) events, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay today declared July 10 as "Responsibility Matters Day" to help ensure fans participating in MLB All-Star festivities arrive home safely. Joining him at a news conference outside Busch Stadium were representatives from Major League Baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals, Anheuser-Busch and its local distributors Lohr Distributing and Grey Eagle Distributing, which are helping implement the designated-driver programs, along with Laclede Cab, ScooterGuy, TEAM (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management) Coalition, St. Louis Fire Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Illinois State Police.

"St. Louis is proud to be the home of America's best baseball fans, and this year's All-Star Game is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our love for the sport," said Slay. "An important part of that includes promoting responsible behavior and ensuring a great experience for fans. We thank Anheuser-Busch and its partners in the community for their efforts to promote a fun, yet safe time."

"MLB has dedicated the All-Star Summer to raising funds and awareness for charitable initiatives and celebrating the importance of community service," said Bob DuPuy, MLB President and Chief Operating Officer. "We applaud the measures being taken by the St. Louis community to help ensure this year's Midsummer Classic is a successful celebration for everyone."

Anheuser-Busch has partnered with Major League Baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals, Sportservice and TEAM Coalition to implement the Budweiser Good Sport program at events being held at Busch Stadium. Good Sport is a comprehensive action plan designed to promote a positive environment by reminding fans to act responsibly, respect the rights of others and use a designated driver. Participants who sign up to be the designated driver for their group as part of the Good Sport program receive a free soda or non-alcohol O'Doul's and promotional beads. In addition, one lucky participant will be selected as the "Designated Driver of the Game" at each event and he/she will receive a Good Sport polo shirt. Last season, more than 38,000 Cardinals' fans participated in the program.

"We want to provide fans with a safe, family-friendly experience at Busch Stadium, and the Good Sport program is a great way to both engage and reward fans in this effort," said Joe Abernathy, St. Louis Cardinals vice president of stadium operations. "We encourage everyone who's attending this year's All-Star festivities to be responsible by using a designated driver or alternate transportation."

Anheuser-Busch and its distributors also are partnering with Laclede Cab to implement Anheuser-Busch's Alert Cab program at bars and restaurants in downtown St. Louis. Alert Cab is a community-based initiative that helps prevent drunk driving by providing safe cab rides home to adults who may have had too much to drink. As part of the program, bartenders and servers at participating bars and restaurants receive a confidential phone number they may use to request a free cab ride for adults in need of a safe ride home.

"Anheuser-Busch is thrilled to see its hometown host the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium," said Dave Peacock, president, Anheuser-Busch. "We want fans to enjoy themselves and everything our great city has to offer, including ice-cold Budweiser, but we want them to do so responsibly. That's why we're doing our part to ensure fans gets home safely."

Consumers interested in receiving a ride for both themselves and their vehicles can call ScooterGuy, which will be stationed outside of Busch Stadium and at area bars and restaurants. When ScooterGuy is notified that someone needs a safe ride home, a ScooterGuy representative rides a foldable scooter to meet the customer at his/her vehicle, places the scooter in the trunk of the vehicle and then drives that person home. After delivering the customer to his/her residence, the ScooterGuy representative returns to area bars to help the next patron. ScooterGuy's number in St. Louis is 314-255-1800. The rate is 35 miles for $45.

In addition, individuals attending the All-Star Charity Concert presented by Pepsi featuring Sheryl Crow July 11 will be encouraged to check out the Budweiser Sound Attitude booth for information on Anheuser-Busch's designated-driver and safe-ride initiatives, as well as the company's responsibility efforts. Concert-goers will be encouraged to sign up to be the designated driver for their party.

Finally, revelers will be reminded to choose a designated driver by a mobile billboard carrying Anheuser-Busch's "Wanna Go Home With Me Tonight? I'm the Designated Driver." message. The billboard truck will drive around Busch Stadium and downtown St. Louis in the days leading up to Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game.

Fortunately, All-Star fans will join millions of Americans in "doing the ride thing." According to a recent survey conducted by TNS Custom Research Inc. on behalf of Anheuser-Busch, nearly two out of three adults - more than 137 million Americans - have been a designated driver or been driven home by one.

Since 1982, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of 600 wholesalers, including Lohr Distributing and Grey Eagle Distributing, have invested more than $750 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking and prevent alcohol abuse, including drunk driving. For more information on these efforts and the progress being made, visit www.beeresponsible.com.