Rules

RESPONSIBILITY CUP is an MLS league-wide competition encouraging responsible fan behavior with respect to alcohol. The competition raises awareness about existing designated driver programs offered at MLS stadiums. The competition also includes a social media component. MLS supporters who plan ahead to use public transportation, take a taxi or a car service or make other arrangements so that they never drive drunk will help earn points for their favorite MLS club in the RESPONSIBILITY CUP. 

The RESPONSIBILITY CUP is a four-round tournament pitting all 20 MLS clubs in head-to-head match-ups throughout the season. Clubs advance through the rounds by earning points when their supporters pledge to be responsible, either by signing up to be designated drivers at the games or by responding to social media posts from the teams and their partners about the competition. 

The RESPONSIBILITY CUP CHAMPION will be the MLS club with the most points. 

POINTS 

There are several ways for MLS clubs to earn points in the RESPONSIBLITY CUP. All of them require supporters to make responsible decisions about alcohol.

POINTS DESCRIPTION
3 In-stadium designated driver sign-ups (normalized by attendance)
1 Facebook shares, posts or comments; Twitter posts or retweets; Instagram posts or regrams about the RESPONSIBILITY CUP using club-specific hashtags such as #ResponsibleFire, #ResponsibleSounders, #ResponsibleUnited, #ResponsibleSportingKC, etc.

ROUND 1

  • All 20 MLS clubs will participate in 1 of 4 randomly selected groups, only 8 will move on to ROUND 2
  • Sum of in-stadium designated drivers (normalized by attendance) divided by the number of home matches within May and June
  • Sum of social media points earned from noon local time on the day of the first match in March through noon local time on May 1, 2015
  • The top two clubs from each group will advance to ROUND 2

ROUND 2

  • 8 MLS clubs will compete in head-to-head matchups against 1 other MLS club, 4 will advance to ROUND 3
  • Sum of in-stadium designated drivers (normalized by attendance) divided by the number of home matches within May and June
  • Sum of social media points earned from noon local time on the day of the first match in May through noon local time on July 1, 2015

ROUND 3 — SEMI-FINALS

  • It’s down to 4 MLS clubs; the head-to-head match-ups intensify
  • Sum of in-stadium designated drivers (normalized by attendance) divided by the number of home matches within July and August
  • Sum of social media points earned from noon local time on day of the first match in July through noon local time on September 1, 2015

CHAMPIONSHIP

  • And then there were 2, but there can be only 1 RESPONSIBILITY CUP CHAMPION
  • Total of in-stadium designated drivers (normalized by attendance) divided by the number of home matches within September and October
  • Sum of social media points earned from the noon local time on the day of the first match in September through noon local time on November 1, 2015