As the world moves towards greater sustainability and keeps adopting environmentally friendly practices across a myriad of industries, the sports industry is unable to remain silent. Given the fact that sporting events are among the most wasteful events today, there is a need to transform this sector in the years and decades to come to help preserve the natural world, conserve resources, and effectively fight climate change. This might not be an easy task, but it’s encouraging to keep in mind that organizers and numerous countries are taking the necessary steps to kick-start this positive change.
From the Olympics to the local sporting events in your hometown, you can expect to see many changes in the way these events are organized in the years to come. Today, we’ll be highlighting some of the most important changes organizers and governments are making in order to create a more sustainable sports industry.
Green marketing and sponsorship
Marketing is a big component of the sports industry as a whole, as it not only builds up the proverbial hype ahead of a game or a match, but it’s typically the biggest source of revenue for organizers. While it used to be that organizers would accept almost any sponsor and sell their ad space to almost any company in the past, nowadays we are witnessing a shift towards greener marketing and more sustainable sponsorships.
No longer are organizers selling ad space to any brand, and nowadays they are specifically looking for sponsors whose values complement the values and causes that the event is promoting. This way, the event as a whole can portray a green and sustainable image to the public, thus positively influencing the online and offline audiences.
Introducing green on-site brands
Another big source of revenue for sporting events and organizers is the on-site vendors and stores that sell T-shirts, snacks, and all kinds of memorabilia on the day of the game. As you can guess, the focus of organizers will no longer be to simply sell that stand to the highest bidder but to sell it to a brand that stands up for certain values and causes. These include putting a stop to worker exploitation, animal testing, cutting waste during the manufacturing process, and more.
Finding these brands is becoming increasingly easier as more and more companies adopt sustainable practices in order to stay relevant in the modern world where consumers have no problem boycotting companies that are wasteful in any way.
The move towards energy-efficient lighting
Lighting is one of the biggest energy wasters in the entire sports industry, because no matter if the event is being held in an open area or an enclosed setting, the lighting has to be powerful and perfectly optimized. If not, it can drastically alter the course of the match. Of course, this creates a few problems, mainly by draining energy resources and making the entire event that much more wasteful.
This is why organizers are nowadays switching to energy efficient lighting for stadiums and sport centres that boast modern electrical components and LED light bulbs to conserve as much energy as possible while actually enhancing the viewing experience. Some of the leading manufacturers recognize the need for more efficient lighting schemes, which makes this shift more efficient and cost-effective for organizers.
Putting an emphasis on recycling and reusing
Of course, you can’t consider a sporting event to be eco-friendly if you don’t have strict recycling and reusing policies in place. These are becoming prevalent in almost every major sporting event today, as there is a need to reduce waste as much as possible when you have such a large crowd. On-site vendors are increasingly required to provide reusable cups, utensils, and products in general, while visitors are encouraged to bring their own reusables from home or adhere to strict recycling rules while attending the event.
Pushing for sustainable building materials
Lastly, it’s important to note that stadiums and sports halls are being erected every year around the world, which begs the need to adopt modern commercial construction trends that focus on sustainability. The key pillars of sustainable commercial construction include the use of sustainable building materials, energy efficient applications and solutions, as well as the use of digital transformation to make sports venues smarter and thus help conserve more resources down the line.
Wrapping up
The sports industry needs to follow the latest trends in sustainability and environmentalism in order to appeal to modern audiences and thrive in the new, eco-friendly era. These changes will make sporting events more sustainable in the years to come and help fight climate change while ensuring a brighter future for the generations to come.
