(Milwaukee, WI) -- The Bradley Center, Miller Brewing Co and the Milwaukee Bucks are taking a proactive step toward encouraging and managing positive crowd behavior while preparing for the upcoming NBA season, concerts, and other entertainment events by training nearly 600 day-of-game and concessions employees in effective alcohol management.

The training is being provided by a non-profit organization called the TEAM Coalition (Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management). TEAM is 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 and entertainment facilities.

The employees who participate in the training will be educated on the signs of impairment, the definition of blood alcohol content, and how to handle a guest who may have had too much to drink. The curriculum also reviews arena-specific and state-specific alcohol policies. Executive director of the TEAM Coalition, Jill Pepper, explains “TEAM has successfully trained over 35,000 stadium and arena employees across the country. By conducting this training, the Bradley Center not only shows its ongoing commitment to responsible alcohol management by ensuring that the staff is trained, but it also encourages other sports facilities to train their staff and provide guests with an enjoyable, safe experience.”

Bradley Center management believes TEAM training is an important component of employee training. According to Paul Jansen, Director of Catering, Concessions and Merchandise Services, “The Bradley Center and the Milwaukee Bucks take crowd management very seriously. That’s why we believe TEAM training will help ensure the best possible experience for our guests at all Bradley Center events. Although we have great fans who have demonstrated positive, responsible behavior over the years, we want to be proactive with our approach to this issue.” By committing to this initiative, the Bradley Center and Bucks will be recognized by the TEAM Coalition for their commitment to training employees on how to manage the sale, service and consumption of alcohol at all games and special events.

Miller Brewing Company and its distributor partner, Miller Brands Inc, are fully supporting this training. Employee training in effective alcohol management is one component in the Miller responsibility program for sports facilities. “We want legal drinking age fans to be able to enjoy a game with a great tasting beer,” explains Joe Jones, General Manager-Wisconsin, “But we also want them to consume our products responsibly and remember to designate a driver.”

The Bradley Center joins several other NBA arenas in conducting alcohol management training. The Rose Garden (home of the Portland Trail Blazers), FedEx Forum (home of the Memphis Grizzlies), and Madison Square Garden (home of the New York Knicks) have all recently conducted TEAM training. However, the training at the Bradley Center involves the largest number of employees to date. “The league commends the Bucks and Bradley Center for undertaking such a noteworthy and important training program,” said Dennis Robinson, Senior Vice President Business and League Operations for the NBA. Ms. Pepper explained, “Taking a proactive approach to train arena staff in effective alcohol management helps ensure fan safety. That is the best way to prevent alcohol-related incidents in sports facilities and, equally important, alcohol-related crashes on the roads.”