NEW YORK — September 14, 2009 -- The Charmer Sunbelt Group (CSG), a leading, national distributor of fine wines & spirits, announced today the kick off of the 2nd year of its Tailgaters Urging Responsibility & Fun (TURF) season with 2009 Spokesperson, former NFL quarterback and WFAN-AM personality Boomer Esiason. Esiason joins a talented roster of partners including Brown-Forman, Diageo, and select CBS Radio Stations, to voice messages urging the safe and legal consumption of beverage alcohol by supporting zero tolerance for drunk driving and underage drinking. The TURF program takes a proactive approach reminding football fans about responsible alcohol consumption and the refusal of alcohol to persons under 21 as well as actionable steps fans can take to ensure that the game and the tradition of tailgating are fun and family-friendly.
"It’s an honor to support such a worthy program," said Boomer Esiason. "TURF aims to protect the integrity of tailgating and to keep game day family-friendly.
Chaired by CSG’s Vice President of Community Relations, Brian Fischer, TURF has also engaged the support of The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut, The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, Florida’s Department of Business & Professional Regulation, law enforcement and government officials, Florida’s ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, The Florida Retail Beverage Council and community leaders, as well as a number of college and professional football teams.
"TURF has attracted diverse players through a committed partnership with the beverage alcohol industry. What we have in common is that we are parents who want to give our children and grandchildren the thrill of going to a game," said Fischer. "We want their memories to be about the game without being exposed to excessive, offensive behavior."
"TURF demonstrates the importance of partnership in tackling underage drinking and drunk driving and encouraging responsible drinking when tailgating," said Jim O’Malley, Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs, Brown-Forman. "TURF brings together all tiers of the industry and other key players who want to make a difference on game day."
"Diageo is thrilled to support a program like TURF that reminds consumers to make responsible decisions," said Dan Sanborn, Senior Director, Corporate Relations, Diageo. "Ultimately Diageo and TURF both want consumers to enjoy themselves responsibly which makes this an ideal partnership."
Additionally, The Charmer Sunbelt Group and the TURF team also support We Don't Serve Teens, a national campaign created by The Federal Trade Commission to prevent underage drinking.
Underage drinking, over consumption of alcohol, and drunk driving are important and complex issues that cannot be solved alone. TURF team members, including every tier of the beverage alcohol industry (supplier, distributor, and retailer), are collaborating with concerned stakeholders to remind everyone to make responsibility part of their game plan, to enjoy the game day experience, and to get home safely.
About TURF – Tailgaters Urging Responsibility & Fun
Tailgaters Urging Responsibility & Fun (TURF) is a program that provides tailgating tips to fans along with messages urging the safe and legal consumption of alcohol. In its launch year, The Charmer Sunbelt Group recruited a talented roster of sponsors including The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, Brown-Forman Corporation, Diageo, The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, Florida’s Department of Business & Professional Regulation, law enforcement and community leaders as well as a number of college and professional football teams. For 2009, TURF has teamed up with several CBS Radio Markets which will broadcast TURF’s message to fans on their way to home games to make responsibility part of their game plans and tailgate responsibly. For more information, please visit www.turfzone.org.
Contact:
Paige Kimos Odabashian
The Charmer Sunbelt Group
podabashian@c-sg.com
(212) 699-7005