By Major League Soccer (MLS)
In a monumental new chapter for North American soccer, beginning in 2023, every club from MLS and Liga MX will compete in a completely reimagined Leagues Cup: an annual, month-long tournament.

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By Coliseum

The Tigres UANL is a Mexican professional football club based in San Nicolás de los Garza, a City in the Monterrey metropolitan area in Mexico. It is a top-flight club which plays in Liga MX ? the top professional football division of the Mexican football league system.

The 42,000-capacity University Stadium ? nicknamed El Volcán ? is a football stadium located on the campus of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico. It is the residence of Tigres UANL.

Marisol Rodríguez Hernández, Social Innovation Leader, Tigres UANL, Mexico, shares exclusive details with ?Coliseum? as regards the club trying to effectively streamline the waste management system in its digs so as to avert potential health and environmental hazards.

Marisol Rodríguez Hernández has been associated with the club for the last 14 years and stated that her journey with the top-flight so far has been a ?great learning experience? in terms of social responsibility works of the team with the impetus being on sustainability.

Plumes to beret

Club Tigres was founded in 1960. The club had their first major success in the 1975-1976 seasons, becoming the first team from Nuevo León to win a trophy by conquering the Copa MX against Club América. Tigres have been Mexican champions seven times, and have won the Copa MX three times. In international competitions, Tigres won the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions League title in 2020 (finishing as runners-up three times), and was the 2015 Copa Libertadores Finals runner-up to River Plate (Argentine professional sports club). In the 2020 edition of FIFA Club World Cup, Tigres finished runners-up against the Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich making it the first club from CONCACAF to reach the final.

Sturdy fan base

Hernández took pride in the fact in informing that the club enjoys a huge fan following ? die-hard ? and the ?fans have been a huge factor in the club tasting soccer success. We singlemindedly focus on creating an enriching and enchanting experience for our fans while they are in the stadium.?

The staunch Tigres fans are the all-weather kind. Irrespective of the fact whether the club performs on the field or bite the dust, the top-notch?s supporters stick by them through thick and thin and as Hernández states, ?the fans are the club?s biggest support system and this is what keeps them going?.

Tigres home

The Tigres UANL?s home stadium ? El Volcán ? opened its gates in the year 1967. The venue boasts the highest attendance figures in Mexico. It is not an avant-garde venue but carries an old-world charm around it. Hernández admitted that the worn-out facility is indeed throwing up huge challenges before the club but, nevertheless, the building carries a majestic aura and stands tall. And the staunch Tigres supporters add to that aura.

Tigres UANL Femenil

The Tigres UANL Femenil is a Mexican women?s football club based in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. The club has been the female section of Tigres UANL since 2017. The team plays in the Liga MX Femenil which commenced in September 2017.

She informed that the women?s team is also a force to reckon with and have demonstrated their pitch prowess on several occasions ? ?They have been four times champion nationwide and are the best professional female team. The Femenil fixtures boast highest attendance in the world and they have reached this exalted position by initially getting trained by the men?s team.?

Sustainability first

Hernández informed that the club accords highest priority to sustainable efforts with the thrust on waste management -?We are big time into PET practices which is all about chemical recycling of PET wastes with different catalysts. We encourage people to bring their plastic so we can recycle and again utilize 60 to 70 percent of the PET during an event.?

Polyethylene terephthalate, also called PET, is the name of a type of clear, strong, lightweight and 100 percent recyclable plastic. Unlike other types of plastic, PET is not single use. PET is 100 percent recyclable, versatile and is made to be remade.

In this context, the club has inked deals with several companies so that they can donate the PET which they collect after an event is held in the Tigres home and the money which comes after selling PET items goes towards fulfilling the club?s other social obligations.

She further informed that the Tigres has an agreement with the Mexican multinational building materials company CEMEX who finance the club?s waste management initiatives.

Hernández pointed out that they try to persuade the fans not to litter all around their seats and help keep the stadium squeaky clean but there are lot of spectators who ?do not wish to cooperate?.

The Tigres asked a firm to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to exactly find out how much waste was being generated as she added, ?A lot of waste gets generated after a regular soccer game and we are pulling out all stops to ensure that we generate minimum waste and in this regard carried out a study to gauge how severe was the impact on the environment.?

She further pointed out that beer glasses, cigars and cartons make for 3 percent of the waste. To further minimize the same, Tigres entered into an agreement with Cemex as part of which the waste generated per day is collected by the Cemex people and they are responsible for its disposal ? ?We have also entered into an understanding with our concessionaires and brands to reduce fireworks and try using more ?Green? products. We are working on recycling of glasses and cups to bring the numbers down.?

The Tigres are determined to pursue Green goals and in this regard have initiated several campaigns to bring about environmental awareness among fans and is firm

Read the original article here

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By Enel North America

All New England Patriots and New England Revolution 2021 season home games are more sustainable with clean energy through renewable energy credits provided by Enel?s renewable energy business Enel Green Power North America.

Through the partnership, Enel will supply nearly 900,000 KWh of clean energy through renewable energy credits (RECs) sourced from the New England electricity grid to match the electricity consumed during all home games. 

Enel North America and Kraft Sports + Entertainment welcome fans back to a more sustainable sporting experience at Gillette Stadium.

ANDOVER and FOXBOROUGH, MASS.? Enel North America (Enel), a leader in clean energy and energy innovation in the US and Canada and the exclusive energy partner of Kraft Sports + Entertainment, announced today that the two companies have signed an agreement to provide a more sustainable sporting experience at Gillette Stadium by supplying the stadium with locally generated, zero emission clean energy through renewable energy credits (RECs). Enel, which operates in the US and Canada through renewable energy company Enel Green Power North America, Enel Energy and Commodity Management and advanced energy services company Enel X North America, has procured nearly 900,000 KWh of RECs from the local New England power grid to match the electricity consumed by Gillette Stadium during the 2021 New England Patriots and New England Revolutions regular season and potential post-season games.

?Through Enel?s partnership with Kraft Sports + Entertainment we are helping to bring a more sustainable entertainment experience to guests at Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place alike, showing that sustainability and sport go hand-in-hand,? said Enrico Viale, Head of Enel North America. ?From renewable energy to electric vehicle charging and emissions reduction services and solutions, Enel?s partnership with Kraft demonstrates the positive impact and outcomes of an integrated, sustainable energy strategy.?

“Kraft Sports + Entertainment has made increased sustainability a top priority since the creation of Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place, and it remains one today,” said Murray Kohl, Vice President of Sales for Kraft Sports + Entertainment. “We’re excited to expand our partnership with Enel as we look to further these efforts through renewable energy credits and provide Patriot and Revolution fans with the most sustainable sporting and entertainment experience possible.” 

Since 2017, Enel has helped Kraft Sports + Entertainment execute on its sustainable energy strategy. Through Enel?s advanced energy services business Enel X, the company is providing the Kraft Group with an integrated energy strategy to reduce the overall energy consumption at Gillette Stadium, while maximizing opportunities for energy cost savings and revenue generation, and supporting the reliability of the local electric grid during periods of peak demand. As part of this strategy, Gillette Stadium is enrolled in Enel X?s demand response program in Massachusetts, helping to meet the grid?s needs during peak demand periods, such as the recent heat waves that the region experienced, while providing the stadium with payments for powering down non-essential areas when needed.

Additionally, in 2019 Enel X also installed and began operating 50 of its JuiceBox Pro electric vehicle smart charging stations throughout Patriot Place; further supporting Kraft Sports + Entertainment?s goal to make Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place a more eco-friendly environment for both guests and workers alike. The JuiceBox Pro smart charging station, powered by JuiceNet software, provides visitors to Patriot Place with access to a grid-connected smart charging solution free of charge. The JuiceNet platform monitors historical charging patterns, acquires real-time input and signals from the electric grid to aggregate and manage charging station demand, allowing Kraft Sports + Entertainment to support the local utility?s peak electricity demand management by charging vehicles at times when electricity costs are lower and renewable energy is most available. 

The Kraft Group is focused on implementing sustainability in all of its businesses on a daily basis. In its sports and entertainment operations, the Kraft Group aims to minimize the environmental impact of Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place, as evidenced throughout its conception, construction and day-to-day operation, all focused on long-term sustainability, energy efficiency and ecosystem management. Working with Enel, the Kraft Group will further its sustainable practices through renewable energy commitments and advanced energy solutions.

Massachusetts is home to the North American headquarters of Enel North America with offices in Boston?s Seaport district and Andover. This partnership with the Kraft Group is the latest demonstration of Enel?s increased commitment to the local clean energy economy and enabling the New England business community to achieve their sustainability and decarbonization goals. Over the last year, Enel has announced a number of new partnerships with Massachusetts businesses including Wellington Management, HP Hood, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the University of Massachusetts Boston, Martha?s Vineyard Transit Authority, Biogen Inc. and Merchants Fleet.

About Enel North America

Enel North America is part of the Enel Group, a multinational power company and a leading integrated player in the global power, gas and renewables markets present in over 30 countries worldwide, producing energy with more than 89 GW of installed capacity. The Group brings energy to around 70 million homes and businesses and has the largest global customer base. Enel?s renewables arm Enel Green Power is the world?s largest renewable private player, with around 50 GW of wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower plants installed globally. Enel is a recognized leader in sustainable energy and is consistently named one of Fortune Magazine?s ?Companies that are Changing the World.?

Enel North America operates in the US and Canada through three companies: Enel Green Power North America, Enel X North America and Enel Energy and Commodity Management. Enel Green Power North America is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants with a presence in 15 US states and one Canadian province. The company operates 60 plants with a managed capacity of over 6.7 GW powered by wind, geothermal and solar energy making it the fifth largest owner and operator of renewable energy in the US. Enel X in North America has around 4,500 business customers, spanning more than 35,000 sites, representing approximately $10.5B in energy spend under management, approximately 4.7 GW of demand response capacity and over 70 battery storage projects that are operational and under contract. Enel X is revolutionizing the EV charging market with its smart charging solutions deploying over 70,000 charging stations in the US. Enel Energy and Commodity Management maximizes the integrated energy margin, supporting all lines of business in the region, through the optimization and dispatching of the generation fleet in the US and Canada and the trading of related energy, services and commodities.

www.enel.com | www.enelx.com | www.enelgreenpower.com

About Kraft Sports + Entertainment

Kraft Sports + Entertainment, the Kraft Group?s sports, entertainment and event management division, is comprised of Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots, New England Revolution, Boston Uprising, Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR) and Patriot Place. The Kraft Group has been promoting and delivering world-class events to New England for more than a quarter century. From the biggest names in musical entertainment to international soccer matches, the 2016 NHL Winter Classic, NCAA athletics and motor sports, the Kraft Group annually hosts a diverse variety of sporting and entertainment events.

Read the original article here

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By Jonquil Hackenberg, Forbes

Across industries, the future is being dictated by a focus on ESG ?environmental, social and governance issues. Sporting events are no exception. This year, in the grand return of live sports we?d all been waiting for, we saw the Tokyo Olympics put a major focus on using recycled and recyclable materials: athletes? beds made from cardboard, podiums made from recycled plastic, and even the medals were made from recycled electronic devices.

These steps forward should certainly be championed and emulated. But as part of a bigger picture, they don?t go far enough in making up for the huge environmental and social impact sporting events have on the world. Sport has an enormous societal impact, and when organisations set their minds to making change happen, it works ? we?ve seen this over the last decade with football?s support for racial equality, through partnerships like Show Racism The Red Card and Kick It Out. So why can?t we do the same with sustainability?

Seeing sports events in siloes ? athletes, associations, fans, suppliers ? is clouding the ability to assess the full breadth of the problem. That?s why assessing the entire supply chain, from start to finish, is the only solution.

Finding a solution

In comparison to other industries, like fast fashion for example, in sports, the impact of supply chain and sustainability issues is less widely-known. That?s why now is the time for sports leaders and organisations to act, to find a solution to the problem, and to fix their supply chains in pursuit of achieving sustainability and meeting ESG goals.

But it goes beyond the obvious need to tackle climate change and help the UN achieve its SDGs. There is a business imperative. These days, sponsorship doesn?t only depend on players, leagues, and performances ?increasingly, issues like sustainability and diversity are coming to the fore.

It?s no longer a case of whoever pays the most money gets the biggest billboard, or the most lucrative logo placement. We?re starting to see brands unwilling to work with (and fans unwilling to support) organisations who are seen as untrustworthy when it comes to climate change, diversity, and inequality. For sports brands who don?t prioritise ESG, the game could almost be up.

Every step of the supply chain

Just like every industry, sports has a supply chain issue. Take football, an industry worth more than ?25 billion in Europe alone. It?s easy to forget when watching a match just how many people are involved in making each match happen ? and that this doesn?t just mean back-room staff or football associations.

We need to think beyond the game itself, to its whole ecosystem: who is making players? kits and boots? Where is the water feeding the pitch coming from? How was the stadium built, and how is it maintained? What?s the impact of major tournaments like the Champions? League or the Olympics, where hastily erected stadiums and hundreds of thousands of fans take over local areas?

Moreover, are certain actions ? like disposable cups in stadiums, or the use of recycled fibres in kits ? simply a sticking plaster over much wider issues across the entire supply chain?

We need to consider the impact of every step of this ecosystem: what is the carbon impact of each action? What?s the impact on the people playing a role ? are they paid a living wage? What?s the impact on biodiversity, and on local communities? Solving issues like these could go a long way to making real progress on the UN?s SDGs: SDG 1, No Poverty, SDG 14, Life Below Water, SDG 15, Life on Land, and SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, to name just a few.

Turning sustainable ideas into reality

Focusing on a couple of key areas is how sports organisations will start to make real progress on ESG ? and continue bringing in the big bucks from sponsorship deals and business opportunities. It will take a holistic strategy focused on design and sustainability, incorporating a partnership model with other sports teams and organisations throughout their supply chain who can help create a more sustainable future.

To make things a little simpler, it makes sense to focus on the five key areas of a strong sustainability strategy: water, waste, carbon, products, and packaging. Thinking back to the impact of movements like racism in football have had, there is no reason why a little design thinking on making sport more sustainable can?t have an equally impressive societal impact ? be that kits, fans? travel, stadium construction, or many more potential areas for improvement.

The sports industry has come a long way, just like the corporate world, but there is still a long way to go. In the same way that hiring more women in boardrooms is a good move ? but still not enough to create real, lasting change throughout organisations ? the sports industry is moving in the right direction. But now it needs to move from small, incremental steps to meet modest targets, to big, bold moves that will underpin real change.

The Tokyo Olympics may have been the most sustainable yet, but there?s so much further to go.

Read the original Forbes article here

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By Bret McCormick, Sports Business Journal

The Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena provided T-shirts for their Zero Waste Squad volunteers, who assisted guests in properly depositing trash to reduce compost contamination. ATLANTA HAWKS AND STATE FARM ARENA

The Phoenix Suns? partnership with Footprint is supposed to raise awareness to the prevalence of plastic in everyday life and its impact on the environment. Suns Chief Revenue Officer Dan Costello said his were among the first eyes opened.

?We were startled as we spent time with their scientists,? he said of Footprint, the plant-based fiber and material science company from Arizona. ?Once you get into these deep discussions and go on this journey you just find yourself looking at plastic everywhere you go.?

Footprint Chief Marketing Officer Susan Koehler readily plied Costello with upsetting facts, such as that humans consume a credit card-sized amount of plastic every week through their food supply, or that only about 9% of plastic actually gets recycled.

?I?m almost mad because she?s almost ruined my experience everywhere I go,? Costello joked. ?It?s an unlock.?

The Footprint-Suns partnership, which aims to remove all single-use plastic from the Suns? newly renamed Footprint Center, offers a glance at a future in which the sports industry takes on a weightier role in confronting environmental issues.

Sports can play a visible role in promoting and enacting sustainability practices, and concessions in particular has potential for immediate impact. To understand the volume, consider that the average U.S. Bank Stadium crowd in Minneapolis produces 35 tons of waste, or that the Miami Dolphins are eliminating, annually, an estimated 812,000 plastic bottles and 613,000 plastic cups from public use.

Most sports venues have the potential to be closed loops ? customers don?t bring food in or take it out, unlike a restaurant ? increasing the likelihood that composting and recycling succeed.

Taking important steps ? like the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena enlisting volunteers to help achieve a zero-waste event, or the plan that Footprint and the Suns have to eliminate single-use plastic at their downtown Phoenix arena ? could shift the public?s thinking about the environment.

?It goes a long way to normalize it. A ballpark is not thought of as a fringey place,? said Maisie Ganzler, Bon Appétit chief strategy and brand officer. ?It?s one thing when you see this at your local food co-op, but when you see it at a ballpark, you?re like, ?oh, this is part of a broader society, part of the establishment.??

Initially, the pandemic, which necessitated the use of individually wrapped food items and utensils, seemed like a setback for the sustainability movement. But COVID-19 seems to have affected the public?s wider awareness, and according to numerous studies and surveys has increased environmental consciousness during the last 18 months. The virus forced adaptability into people?s lives, something that could benefit the sustainability movement.

?At this point, with our lives changing on a daily basis, there are people that very willing to listen, to learn, and change the way they?ve done business in the past,? said Jay Satenspiel, Spectra senior vice president.

Growing pressure

Food waste makes up a quarter of all material that goes into landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and once there it decomposes and produces harmful methane that warms the planet. The EPA?s 2018 Food Waste report estimated that sports venues waste more than 38,000 tons of food per year.

Plastic, which when paired with recycling seemed like a planet-saving solution, has instead leeched into our food supply and our bodies, and piled up in waterways and landfills.

Only 8.7% of plastic was recycled in 2018, according to the EPA. Six American states ? Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia ? recycle single-digit percentages of their waste.

The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Climate Report, which estimated that humanity would need to move greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 to maintain a livable climate, further raised urgency around sustainability efforts.

Regulations are advancing in the U.S., including six states that have banned food waste from going to landfills and a growing slate of city and state legislation against plastic, including banning plastic grocery bags.

Corporations, many of which sponsor sports teams and venues, are increasingly focused on sustainability goals, and moving away from shareholder-focused short-termism. Environmental, social and governance criteria that many investors use to screen companies before investing in them have helped. Footprint?s Koehler said that $40 trillion will be invested in ESG-approved companies in the next five years.

A fall 2020 survey by consulting firm Kearney found that over 80% of respondents were considering the environmental impact of their purchasing, up from 71% in 2019. In the same survey, 85% expressed a commitment to turn down plastic utensils during the coming year. And a recent Morning Consult/Bloomberg News survey found 35% of respondents are making an effort to eat less meat; the meat and dairy industries contribute about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the U.N.?s Food and Agricultural Organization.

It?s not just fans paying attention. Satenspiel said a band whose name he wouldn?t disclose asked Spectra to fill out a sustainability questionnaire before committing to play one of their venues.

?We?ve been building toward a better and better food experience, and better being defined in many ways, including better for the planet,? said Bon Appétit?s Ganzler. ?And that people, while they do want to have a fun, escapist experience at the ballpark, they don?t want to check their values at the door.?

Not just lip service

Teams, venues and concessionaires are taking action.

The Vikings diverted 91% of waste during the 2018 Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium, and they?ve maintained an 80% average since. The remaining waste that isn?t diverted is converted to steam at a trash-to-energy facility and is used to heat buildings in downtown Minneapolis.

The Washington Nationals are avoiding using 5 million ketchup packets this season, while the Golden State Warriors receive all their ingredients at Chase Center in reusable containers. Concessionaires have the reach to play an oversized role, too; Delaware North is now making straws available only upon request in venues it serves, while Aramark helped the Philadelphia Eagles switch to recyclable straws, eliminating 500,000 plastic straws annually from Lincoln Financial Field.

?When we have the concessionaires along with the team and the team owners asking those questions, then it becomes ?how can we find a solution to this??? said Green Sports Alliance Executive Director Roger McClendon, whose group has 340 pro sports teams committed to using their platforms to advance environmental responsibility. ?Those conversations are happening more and more.?

Atlanta?s State Farm Arena is one of the best examples of the closed loop in action.

Two and a half years ago, the Hawks diverted just 10% to 20% of waste away from the landfill, including recycling and food donations. Today, the arena has diverted 90% of its waste from the landfill for three straight months, an effort helped by instituting compostable-only food vessels and utensils and the hard work of a half-dozen sorters clawing through the venue?s postgame waste to maintain compost integrity. That 90% mark is even more impressive considering the city of Atlanta doesn?t offer municipal composting and the Hawks pay to have their waste taken to a private composting company. A source told Sports Business Journal the composting program runs six figures annually.

A Hawks playoff game against the Knicks in May was certified as the first zero-waste sporting event. State Farm Arena has diverted 90% of its waste from the landfill for the past three months.ATLANTA HAWKS AND STATE FARM ARENA

The Hawks held the world?s first zero-waste sporting event, credentialed by Green Business Certification, in May during a playoff game versus the New York Knicks. Every game after hit the same zero-waste threshold.

?This is not an easy decision; this is not something we?re doing out of convenience or to save money,? said Geoffrey Stiles, the Hawks? senior vice president of facilities and events. ?It is at great cost and great effort. It is something we believe is the right thing to do because we love our town, we love where we are, and we?re going to take care of it.?

Further, faster

Beyond composting and recycling, the sports industry is increasingly looking for, and finding, alternatives to meat and plastic.

Impossible Foods, which makes plant-based meat, first appeared in a sports venue in 2018 but is now in 56, including Wrigley Field and Notre Dame Stadium. Impossible Foods President Dennis Woodside said the company?s products require 90% less water, almost 90% less land use to produce than the animal agriculture industry and emit close to 90% less greenhouse gases. The company?s production is up tenfold in the last 20 months or so, Woodside said.

Aluminum is another product with current tailwinds that?s emerging as an alternative to plastic, especially recycled aluminum. Ball Corp. has naming rights for the Denver home of the Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, and makes its cups from 90% recycled aluminum, helping offset the significant environmental impact of new aluminum creation.

Aluminum is simply more recyclable than plastic; 75% of the aluminum ever created is still in circulation, according to the Aluminum Association, compared to about 10% of plastic. Ball Corp. President Dan Fisher said a Ball cup recycled at an arena could be back in that building within 60 days.

The next step for live sports concessions: ?Having sustainability thought of in all decisions,? Ganzler said. ?Not specifically only in waste or only having a garden, but weaving sustainability into all stands.?

So much more can be done. HOK?s Sustainability Leader Vanessa Hostick recommends venues make their composting and recycling bins much bigger and brighter than the landfill waste receptacle to grab attention, and to partner with a local food bank so that unused food can be donated. Sustainability consultant Kristen Fulmer suggests teams and concessionaires reduce portion sizes to limit waste, and that effective messaging can lead people to enacting some of these basic changes at home.

Stadium kitchen operations present clear sustainability possibilities. Fulmer mentioned smart meters that identify where energy waste is occurring, technology for reducing energy use around refrigeration systems, and on-site renewable energy sources (solar and wind especially) as likely to proliferate in the coming years, especially in new venues.

?There was a wave of new stadiums that came on line maybe 10 or 15 years ago that were internet connected and technology played a front-and-center role in the experience,? Woodside said. ?You?re going to start seeing that with sustainability. It?s something that stadium operators and owners want. They want to be part of the solution, don?t want to be perceived as part of the problem, and they?re going to be leaning into this in the future.?

Work to do

Fulmer also sees mobile ordering as a potential contributor to sustainability. She?s had conversations with mobile app developers about adding options during the ordering process to reduce waste, such as a button for not needing napkins or condiments. In-venue apps could also send push notifications and coupons about new food options that are locally sourced. And teams could close the loop by sending their compost back to those same local farmers from whom they?re buying ingredients.

Though all the American sports leagues have sustainability programs, none have environmental mandates for their teams. Fulmer noted that the German Bundesliga is voting this winter on whether it will install carbon neutrality goals for its clubs.

The NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB or MLS mandating its teams take certain sustainability steps would send a powerful message, as would leagues or teams investing financially in the development of sustainable products and industries.

That could help the entire industry because the economics of sustainable concessions are still challenging. Bobby DiCicco, Levy Restaurants vice president of hospitality at State Farm Arena, said he?s on daily calls trying to find producers of sustainable products, a problem exacerbated by the pandemic?s disruption of supply chains.

Ball?s Fisher said that distribution systems don?t exist for aluminum like they do for plastic, and that much of the higher cost of non-plastic products lies in the greater difficulty manufacturing or moving the product.

Alicia Woznicki, Aramark vice president of design and development, estimated that a Ball aluminum cup costs in the 30-cent range, while a typical paper cup (which contains plastic seams) runs 10 to 15 cents. Spectra?s Satenspiel estimated that a compostable hinged tray for hot dogs would cost three to four times more than a Styrofoam clam shell. But private equity?s interest in sustainable goods includes associated infrastructure; investment will ultimately bring costs down and improve availability.

?If the smartest folks in the world are putting their dollars to work in this area, I like our chances to get there sooner rather than later,? Fisher said.

Corporate partnerships are another way to absorb increased sustainability costs. But increasingly, everyone involved is willing to pay a little more in the meantime.

?In terms of what we?re putting in them and the overall value to the consumer, it?s very easy to justify the expense when they see the value perception of what they?re getting, a high quality of food, a high-quality packaging,? said Aramark Sports and Entertainment President Alison Birdwell. ?People are willing to pay for that.?

Ball Corp., the arena naming-rights partner of the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets, makes its aluminum cups from 90% recycled material. BALL CORP.

Read the SBJ article here

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By CJ Olivares, World Surf League

South African by birth, Australian by choice, Wendy Botha made her mark on the Championship Tour with unmatched confidence in the water and four world titles, including the first and only women’s crown for South Africa in 1988, followed by the first for Australia after she gained citizenship in 1989. – WSL / ERIK AEDER

When CT stalwart Johanne Defay and seven-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore paddle out for the historic first Match of the Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lowers, the World Surf League will further extend its commitment to equality and set a new standard for professional surfing.

For the first time, an equal number of women and men will compete for Championship Tour World Titles on the same day, on the same stage, for the same prize money. This is a milestone among global sports leagues, and is the second phase of the WSL’s long-term plan to create total equality, establishing itself as a leader in providing equal opportunity for women in sports.

But this progress has not come easily or quickly. For more than four decades professional surfing was shaped by a patriarchal culture that established a separate and unequal system for women, characterized by different events, smaller wave locations and fractional prize money.

Through the ’70s, ’80s and into the ’90s a small band of fearless women, including Margo Oberg, Kim Mearig, Freida Zamba and Wendy Botha, charged the lineups both in and out of competition, attempting to earn the respect and recognition their surfing deserved.

In the mid and late ’90s, when Lisa Andersen — winner of four consecutive World Titles — and her progressive style broke performance barriers, earning her a rare Surfer Magazine cover shot and the headline “Lisa Andersen Surfs Better Than You,” and fueling the explosive growth of ROXY, the endemic brands only offered anemic support of female surfers and their events.

With the optimism of a new century dawning, Layne Beachley carried the banner of high-performance women’s surfing to new heights, charging and winning in the biggest waves. Her grit and tenacity lead to a precedent-setting seven World Titles, and the first wildcard spot at a men’s event.

With her unprecedented progressive style, 4-time World Champion Lisa Andersen inspired countless young, turbo-charged Roxy’s global growth and made the cover of Surfer magazine, with the caption ‘Lisa Andersen surfs better than you.’ – SURFER/ TOM DUGAN

By 2002, women’s surfing (specifically competitive surfing) hit the global awareness jackpot with the breakout commercial success of the film Blue Crush, inspiring a wave of young girls and tweens to paddle out at beaches around the world.

This swelling interest drove widespread growth and profitability in the surf industry, and while the top men in the sport were commanding million-dollar annual salaries the women’s tour was virtually defunded by 2006. That year the brands agreed to support the tour’s operation only, and refused to fund any form of media coverage.

This was a dark period for women’s professional surfing as it also featured the end of the tour’s seven-year “experiment” of putting the pro women in heavier waves. After the 2006 event at Teahupo’o, with little warning and no consultation with the pro women, the ASP abruptly canceled the 2007 event, using the rationale that the heaving barrels in Tahiti were “too dangerous for women.”

Layne Beachley dominated the early 2000’s with consistency, power and style. She demonstrated this in spades with a second-place finish at the 2006 Roxy Fiji Pro, on the way to her record-setting seventh World Championship. – WSL / KAREN WILSON

At the time of the cancellation, 2006 Women’s title contender and winner of that year’s Tahiti contest, Melanie Redman-Carr told the Sydney Morning Herald “It’s a pretty sexist decision … if the men can go there, why can’t we? We’ve been getting more respect because we’ve been surfing there.” Concluding, “They seem to think it’s too heavy and dangerous for us. We want to show that’s wrong, and we’ve been doing it. To lose Teahupo’o – it’s just pointless.”

For more than a decade, the structure and stakes of women’s surfing remained largely unchanged, despite an abundance of new talent in World Champions Stephanie Gilmore, Carissa Moore and Tyler Wright, who picked up where Beachley left off. They and a new breed of athletic surfers persevered and continued to push the envelope, redefining women’s surfing with more power, bigger airs and deeper barrels.

Then in 2012, new ownership took over the Tour, and imbued the re-branded World Surf League with a new set of values, grounded in long-overdue equality for the women. The first material sign of the sea-change came in the wake of a management shakeup, when in September 2018 the WSL announced that from the 2019 season forward, it would distribute equal prize money to the women at all WSL owned and operated events.

2006 Billabong Tahiti Pro champion Melanie Redman-Carr. – WSL / KAREN WILSON

“Our ownership group and management are committed to advancing equality for women in surfing as part of a larger agenda to create greater access and enjoyment of surfing for everyone,” says Erik Logan, CEO of the World Surf League. “Our equalization of prize money in 2019 was just the beginning of our long-term plan to expand the diversity and inclusiveness of the sport.”

A year later, at the 2019 Lululemon Maui Pro, Carissa Moore was crowned surfing’s first world champion with a prize purse equal to the men’s.

“I am very grateful to have won my fourth World Title in 2019,” says Moore. “WSL really elevated our sport by equalizing prize money and giving the women the opportunity to perform on an amazing platform all season long.”

Stephanie Gilmore developed a signature style on the way to her seven World Titles that is the envy of competitive surfers everywhere. – WSL / KELLY CESTARI

With the world and the Championship Tour turned upside down by the global pandemic of Covid-19 in 2020, the WSL quietly worked on the next phase of its drive toward total equality. For the 2021 season, it established that for the first time there would be an equal number of Championship Tour events for men and women (a new benchmark for the women), and the creation of a new “Final 5” format to crown the undisputed World Champions.

Last December, the 2021 Championship Tour kicked-off in Hawaii, and the path to a new era of equality was cleared, albeit with a minor detour at the women’s season opener at Honolua Bay. Following a tragic shark fatality at the Maui venue that forced the suspension of the women’s competition, WSL leadership quickly mobilized to provide a solution for completing the event.

Through collaboration with the Hawaiian government and consultation with the pro women, it was determined that the contest could finish alongside the men on Oahu’s north shore, at the legendary Pipeline. Ultimately, Tyler Wright’s victory over Carissa Moore in a dynamic barreling Final set up the next big move.

Carissa Moore confirmed her 4th World Championship during the 2019 Lululemon Maui Pro, and celebrated the conclusion of the landmark first season in which women received the same prize money as the men. – WSL / CAIT MIERS

On August 4th, the WSL announced that the 19 events comprising the 2022 Championship Tour and Challenger Series will not only continue to feature an equal number of events and prize money for both men and women, but will also take place at all the same venues in the same windows, including a return to Teahupo’o after 15 years and a first-ever complete event at Pipeline.

“We believe the new structure for our tours is a massive upgrade for fans, partners and athletes,” said Jessi Miley-Dyer, SVP of Tours and Head of Competition. “It’s awesome that the 2022 seasons of both the Championship Tour and Challenger Series will continue to drive equality for women. We’ve been really deliberate in working with our stakeholders to build calendars that showcase the world’s best surfing, have great venues and create the most equitable platform possible for all our surfers.”

Now, with just days to go before the Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lowers, the mounting drama of the new, single-day world title format sets the unprecedented stage for an equal number of women and men to compete on the same day, on the same wave, in the same conditions for the same reward: the World Championship Title.

Tyler Wright tucked in for the win at The 2021 Maui Pro presented by Roxy, which was completed at Pipeline (above). – WSL / KEOKI SAGUIBO

“I am really excited to be a part of this new format and have the opportunity to compete with the men on the same day for a World Title,” shares Moore. “It has never been done like this before and it should be an exciting day of competition. There are a lot of emotions involved and it is a high pressure situation but I am ready to give it my all.”

The WSL’s work, however, is far from done. It remains committed to its values and continues its effort to progress through evolution, whether it is equality, diversity or inclusion.

Read the original article here

The post Road To The Rip Curl WSL Finals: Equality Evolution appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers games at Levi’s® Stadium this season will feature a new way for fans to tackle hunger as Incogmeato and MorningStar Farms have been named the first-ever official plant-based protein of the NFL franchise.

The in-stadium experience keeps getting better at the home venue of the 49ers, with a new menu of next-generation plant-based protein that looks, cooks, and tastes just like the real thing. From sizzling burgers to brats and sausages, fans can find these plant-based proteins throughout the stadium on the member-inclusive menu and at the Incogmeato kiosk in the Zenni Zone on the upper concourse. For fans at home, it’s easy to re-create their Levi’s Stadium order with a backyard barbecue roster of Incogmeato stadium favorites that score extra points for flavor, all without the meat.

Not only is Incogmeato and MorningStar Farms partnering with the 49ers to bring delicious plant-based protein menu items to Levi’s Stadium, the brands are also continuing their commitment to making plant-based protein more accessible to all with this exclusive team partnership. An estimated 1 in 8 Americans are expected to face food insecurity in 2021, and food banks are experiencing a protein shortage. Incogmeato and MorningStar Farms, along with the 49ers and Feeding America, is helping to close the protein gap at food banks. For every field goal the 49ers score, the brands will donate 30,000 Incogmeato Chik’n Tenders ? up to one million tenders ? to Feeding America food banks in the Bay Area.

“We are proud to be the official plant-based protein of the San Francisco 49ers and Levi’s Stadium. What you eat on game day is almost as important as the action on the field, so that’s why our partnership is key to delivering what flexitarian 49ers fans want: all of the flavor with none of the meat,” said Heidi Ray, Marketing Director, Plant-Based Protein Category of Kellogg Company. “Ensuring plant-based protein is accessible is an important initiative for us, so we are thrilled to be partnering with the 49ers and Feeding America this season!”

“We are always looking for ways to bring our fans, our community and a premium food experience, together,” said Kevin Hilton, 49ers Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “That’s why, partnering with Incogmeato and MorningStar Farms is a touchdown for not only our fans craving a delicious alternative to meat, but for those facing food insecurities in our region.”

The post 49ers and Levi’s® Stadium Partner With Incogmeato® by MorningStar Farms® appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Amar Mehta, Sky News

Fans will be asked to travel to the match on 19 September using public transport and to recycle while in the stadium

Spurs have teamed up with Sky and COP26 to host the match and will encourage fans, players and staff to take sustainable actions throughout the day

Tottenham Hotspur will host the world’s first net-zero carbon football match when the London club welcomes rivals Chelsea on 19 September to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs have teamed up with Sky and the home game against Chelsea is aiming to be net-zero, through emissions reductions and offsetting the remaining carbon footprint through reforestation projects.

The match is supported by COP26 and the Premier League – and Spurs will be encouraging fans, players and staff to take sustainable actions on match day.

Spurs players will travel together – just one measure the club has put in place to make the match net-zero

This includes using public transport or cycling to the match, choosing plant-based food options and recycling waste.

The project has been called #GameZero and aims to educate football fans on the role of sport in addressing climate change.

For the match to be net-zero, Sky and Spurs will aim to minimise match day emissions activity such as energy used to power the game, travel to and from the stadium for both fans and clubs, and food options at the stadium.

Tottenham players will travel to the match by coach to reduce the number of cars, and Chelsea will ask staff to travel to the game using sustainable methods.

Both teams will head to the stadium on a coach that uses biofuel, which is a form of renewable diesel produced from food waste products and the players will be drinking water from cartons provided by Spurs as opposed to plastic bottles.

Earlier this year, Tottenham Hotspur was named the Premier League’s greenest club at the UN-backed Sport Positive Summit.

The club and Sky Sports are both signatories of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and both are founding partners of Count Us In – a global movement aimed at mobilising one billion people in the fight against climate change.

Spurs’ match against Chelsea will take place six weeks before COP26, the UN climate change conference which is being hosted by the UK in Glasgow.

Subscribe to ClimateCast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy said: “Tottenham Hotspur is passionate about our planet – we look forward to showcasing our wide range of sustainable measures that are already in place and encouraging our fans to take simple actions that can make a huge difference.”

COP26 president Alok Sharma said: “Climate change affects every aspect of our lives, including the sports that we love to watch and play.

“We can all take steps to help protect the planet for future generations, including in major sporting events.”

Watch the Daily Climate Show at 6.30pm Monday to Friday on Sky News, the Sky News website and app, on YouTube and Twitter.

The show investigates how global warming is changing our landscape and highlights solutions to the crisis.

Read the original article here

The post Tottenham Hotspur to host world’s first net-zero football match against Chelsea appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Associated Press, ESPN

NFL players can wear social justice messages on their helmets again this season and “It Takes All of Us” and “End Racism” will be stenciled in end zones for the second straight year as part of the league’s Inspire Change platform.

The league will also bring back the “Say Their Stories” initiative and for the first time, each team will highlight its social justice work during a regular-season home game in Weeks 17 and 18.

“We are committed to Inspire Change and the social justice work that inspires change for the long term,” Anna Isaacson, NFL senior vice president of social responsibility, told The Associated Press.

The six messages players can choose from as part of the helmet decal program are: “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “It Takes All of Us,” “Black Lives Matter,” “Inspire Change” and “Say Their Stories.”

The end zone stencils will be placed on the field for all clubs in all home games, except when another cause is being recognized. For example, during a club’s Salute to Service game, “End Racism” will be replaced with “Salute To Service” in one end zone and “It Takes All of Us” will remain on the opposite side.

This year’s “Say Their Stories” features will again be voiced by NFL players but will evolve to include social justice heroes who have been personally identified by players for their impact in this area, particularly those from their local communities.

For the final two weeks of the regular season, all clubs will receive the relevant banners, goalpost wraps, stencils, helmet decals and video board graphics. The elements will continue to be featured during playoff games.

“That will provide a unified time frame for us to further amplify all of the work that our clubs are doing and that will lead into the playoffs where Inspire Change will continue to take center stage,” Isaacson said. “The key message for us as the season is starting, we are ramping up again in a big way with our social justice work.”

The league also worked with New Era and the Players Coalition to offer an Inspire Change knit hat that can be worn on the sideline during Weeks 17 and 18 by players, coaches and other personnel to add additional visibility to the cause. The hat will be sold at retail, and 100% of the league’s proceeds will be donated to Inspire Change grant recipients.

Read the original article here

The post NFL brings back social justice helmet decals, end zone stencils as part of Inspire Change platform appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

By Ohio State News

Board cites President Johnson?s strong leadership during pandemic

The Ohio State University Board of Trustees today approved five presidential goals for the current fiscal year. President Kristina M. Johnson and the board outlined five priorities: academic excellence, knowledge enterprise excellence, talent and culture, resource management and service.

The board also approved the continuation of the university?s energy efficiency and management measures. The latest phase involves spending $44 million in energy system improvements in 40 buildings. So far, more than 100 buildings on the Columbus campus have undergone energy conservation measures, and in the fifth and final phase, another 50 to 60 will be optimized.

During board meetings this week, Office of Business and Finance leadership reported that the university?s financial performance in fiscal year 2021, which spanned from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, outperformed the previous fiscal year, allowing for the resumption of the Annual Merit Compensation Process (AMCP) for faculty and staff ? budgeted at 3 percent. The university?s solid financial footing was attributed to a strong investment performance, more positive momentum at the health system and significant efficiency measures across the university, actions that helped offset revenue declines in key areas including tuition, housing and dining and athletics.

Further actions taken during the board?s meeting include:

Fiscal year 2022 Capital Investment Plan approved
The board approved the Capital Investment Plan for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022. Capital expenditures are the result of the university?s comprehensive annual capital planning process.

Fiscal year 2022 Ohio State Energy Partners (OSEP) capital plan approved
The board approved the annual utility system capital improvement projects plan for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022. The projects are:

• Utility System Life-Cycle Renovation, Repair and Replacement Projects
• Utility System Expansion and Extension Projects
• Energy Conservation Measure Projects

The board also approved a change in scope of the Combined Heat and Power Plant and Midwest Campus District heating and Cooling Network capital improvement project, which was previously approved in fiscal year 2020. A state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a delay of the state?s certification process, which caused a delay in construction of the process.

Read the full article here

The post Trustees Review Presidential Goals, Approve Energy Efficiency Measures appeared first on Green Sports Alliance.

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