We’d like to congratulate the Auburn Tigers for their win last night in the BCS National Championship game against the Oregon Ducks. Auburn is now the proud recipient of the 2011 Coaches Trophy, a crystal football presented to the winning team by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

College football is a great American sport, and it’s great to see communities coming together to celebrate these athletes and their achievements.  The tradition in Auburn, Ala., is to meet up in the heart of campus at a spot called “Toomer’s Corner.”  Students, fans and alumni were gathered there in full force late into the night last night, and anxiously watched for the results of the game.  Check out this view of the famous corner with this live webcam.

Our member companies support communities in Alabama and across the country.  Dr Pepper’s sponsorship of the trophy is just one of many ways the beverage industry supports the state of Alabama.  In fact, just last month, The Coca-Cola Company sponsored a local basketball tournament in Gulf Shores, Ala., and Buffalo Rock, a local Pepsi bottler in Mobile, continues to support their community by sponsoring a number of charitable and community events each year.

In Oregon, the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Eugene supports causes that benefit children, and is a long-time supporter of local arts and music.  And Swire Coca-Cola, USA, a local Coca-Cola bottler that services the state of Oregon, supports the United Way and efforts to end juvenile diabetes.

Once again we congratulate the winning team on their victory. And we hope the athletes from both teams that made it to the championship are an inspiration to us all to get out and get active!