IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

No matter which team baseball fans are rooting for in this year’s World Series, the one thing everyone can cheer for is free tacos. Taco Bell® is once again teaming up with Major League Baseball (MLB) to give America the tastiest steal during the 2016 World Series. The “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion gives America a free Doritos® Locos Taco if a player, or more aptly named “Taco Hero,” steals a base during the World Series, which begins on Tuesday, Oct. 25 on FOX.

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Taco Bell® is once again teaming up with Major League Baseball (MLB) to give America the tastiest steal during the 2016 World Series. (Graphic: Business Wire)

"Since we first created the “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” program in 2007, a whole new category of hero has been created in sports: the Taco Hero. It's an accolade specific to those athletes whose stolen base feat during the World Series has earned them a hallowed place in the hearts of taco lovers across the country," said Marisa Thalberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp. “We are excited to bring this event back again in the 2016 World Series. We look forward to rooting along with the country in the hopes that a player will manage to ‘steal’ another free taco for America and we will be able to induct a brand new ‘Taco Hero.’”

This year’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” campaign marks the fifth time that Taco Bell and Major League Baseball have held the promotion. The first “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” campaign was a huge hit, pun intended, when it launched in 2007. Jacoby Ellsbury, then of the Boston Red Sox, stole second base in Game Two of that year’s World Series, becoming America’s first Taco Hero and earning America a free taco. The program returned to the World Series the following year, continuing to delight fans with delicious, free Taco Bell, when Jason Bartlett of the Tampa Bay Rays stole second base in the fifth inning of Game One. In the 2012 World Series, Ángel Pagán of the San Francisco Giants became a Taco Hero by stealing second base in the eighth inning of Game Two. Most recently, Lorenzo Cain of the Kansas City Royals won a free A.M. Crunchwrap® for America by stealing second base in the sixth inning of Game One of the 2015 World Series.

“The World Series is the biggest stage in baseball and a perfect setting for Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion,” said Noah Garden, MLB Executive Vice President, Business. “Baseball fans will be rooting for their favorite team but free tacos are something we can all agree to rally behind.”

If a base is stolen in Game One or Two of this year’s World Series, all of America will get a free Doritos® Locos Taco on Wednesday, November 2 from 2 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local time) at all participating Taco Bell locations. If the first stolen base of the World Series takes place during Game Three or later, America will score a free Doritos® Locos Taco on Thursday, November 10 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) at all participating US Taco Bell locations. Fans are invited to check out www.TacoBell.com/StealATaco for more information on how to receive a free Doritos® Locos Taco. Limit one (1) free Doritos® Locos Taco per person.

Taco Bell will support the campaign with an integrated marketing effort that includes advertising (television, online), social media and public relations. Follow along to see who will become America’s next Taco Hero at the 2016 World Series.

Program Rules

If an eligible base is stolen during the Games, Taco Bell will make an announcement through selected media channels, including a press release and its web site (www.tacobell.com/stealabase), that eligible consumers can obtain one Free Doritos® Locos Taco on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 (if the first base is stolen in Games 1 or 2 on October 25 or 26) OR Thursday, November 10, 2016 (if the first base is stolen in Games 3-7, on October 28, 29, or 30, or November 1 or 2) ("Redemption Date") only. To obtain the Free Doritos® Locos Taco, consumers must visit any participating Taco Bell® restaurant in one of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (local time) on the Redemption Date only and request a free Doritos® Locos Taco. Free Doritos® Locos Taco will not be offered on any other date or time, regardless of circumstance. Limit one (1) Free Doritos® Locos Taco per person. Participating Taco Bell restaurant manager reserves the right to deny Free Doritos® Locos Taco to any person he/she reasonably believes has already received a Free Doritos® Locos Taco or has engaged in any other fraudulent activity. All eligible consumers: Everyone in line at a participating Taco Bell restaurant before 6:00 p.m. local time on the Redemption Date will receive a Free Doritos® Locos Taco while supplies last. Free Doritos® Locos Taco offer is subject to store availability and Taco Bell reserves the right to substitute an item of equal or greater value due to unavailability. All restaurant managers’ decisions are final regarding this Free Doritos® Locos Taco offer. As a condition of the offer, each consumer agrees: (a) to release, and hold harmless Major League Baseball Properties, Inc., Major League Baseball Enterprises, Inc., Major League Baseball Properties Canada Inc., MLB Japan Co., Ltd., Major League Baseball Europe, Ltd., MLB Advanced Media, Inc., MLB Advanced Media, L.P., MLB Media Holdings, Inc., MLB Media Holdings, L.P., MLB Online Services, Inc., The MLB Network, LLC, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, the Major League Baseball Clubs, and their respective subsidiary or affiliated companies, and each of their respective shareholders, employees, parents, directors, officers, affiliates, representatives, agents, successors, and assigns (hereinafter, "MLB Entities"), Sponsor and each of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, retailers, sales representatives, distributors and franchisees, and each of their officers, directors, employees and agents ("Promotional Parties"), from any and all claims, demands, losses, promises, causes of action, injuries, damages and/or liabilities, that may arise, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the participation in this Promotion or from the receipt or use or misuse of the Free Doritos® Locos Taco, or any travel or activity related to the receipt or use of the Free Doritos® Locos Taco (b) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and participant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, special, consequential, or any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses; (c) all causes of action arising out of or connected with this Promotion or any Free Doritos® Locos Taco or any advertising, marketing, promotion or publicity materials in connection therewith, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; and (d) any and all claims, judgments, and award shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, excluding attorneys’ fees and court costs. By participating, each consumer agrees that all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Terms and Conditions, consumer’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with this Promotion, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of State of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules. By participating, entrants consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal, state and local courts for Irvine, California for the resolution of any disputes related to this Promotion.

About Taco Bell Corp.

Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), is the nation's leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant (QSR) brand. From breakfast to late night, Taco Bell serves made-to-order and customizable tacos and burritos, among other craveable choices, and is the first QSR restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA)-certified menu items. Taco Bell and its more than 350 franchise organizations proudly serve over 42 million customers each week through nearly 7,000 restaurants across the nation, as well as through its mobile, desktop and delivery ordering services. Overseas, Taco Bell has over 250 restaurants, with plans to add 2,000 more restaurants internationally within the next decade. The brand encourages its fans to “Live Mas” and connects with them through sports, gaming and new music via its Feed The Beat® music program. Taco Bell also provides education opportunities and serves the community through its nonprofit organization, the Taco Bell® Foundation™, and connects fans with their passions through programs such as the Live Mas Scholarship program. In 2016, Taco Bell was named as one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the World.

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