Fan Engagement

Community events provide an excellent opportunity to promote your environmental initiatives, while providing opportunities for the general public to connect with your organization and its values. Community events also allow your organization to develop stronger community ties and give back to the community, all while establishing opportunities for positive press and benefiting the environment.

There are a wide variety of environmentally-related community events that your organization could consider organizing. These events can be a great way to educate and engage with the public on environmental protection. For example:

  • Clean Up Day: consider coordinating athletes and staff members to work with local organizations or school groups to clean up an area of the community such as local parks, playgrounds, beaches or other outdoor places. This could involve picking up trash, planting trees or other vegetation, restoring playgrounds, or installing new infrastructure like recycling bins.
  • Recycling Drives: consider organizing a recycling drive that encourages members of the community to come and drop off old electronics, used sports gear and/or appliances for recycling (make sure you use e-Stewards-certified recyclers for any electronics recycling). Your drive could incorporate incentives like interactions with athletes or a chance to win tickets or memorabilia.
  • Planting Trees: consider coordinating athletes and staff members to work with local organizations or school groups to plant trees.
  • Eco-Award Events: consider organizing an event with athletes to award local organizations or students for their commitment to protecting the environment.
  • Eco-Friendly Product Giveaways: consider having staff or athletes give away eco-friendly reusable grocery bags in exchange for fans bringing in their single-use plastic bags for recycling, provide fans with energy-efficient light bulbs upon exiting games, and/or hand out magnets with recycling or greener living tips.

Professional Sports Green Team Examples

NBA teams have hosted a great variety of community events as part of their commitment to the environment. Each year during NBA Green Week, the league and teams organize several community events. For example, the following community events were incorporated in to NBA Green Week 2011:

  • The Celtics organized a clean up day with local 8th graders throughout the city of Boston.
  • The Chicago Bulls honored its All Star Green Team comprised of students who excel at getting others to participate in recycling and improving environmental issues at their schools on “Go Green Night.”
  • The Golden State Warriors and Esurance teamed up with the non-profit organization “Urban Releaf” to plant trees in West Oakland to beautify the area and combat pollutants naturally.
  • The Oklahoma City Thunder took part in a trash pick-up at a local Boys & Girls Club with the Mayor and City Council.
  • The Orlando Magic is partnered with NBA Toyota Project Rebound and “No Fault” on resurfacing two basketball courts using recycled tires.
  • New Orleans Hornets staff members worked with “Save the Wetlands” to plant trees along the Gulf Coast and in the marsh areas.
  • The Dallas Mavericks gave away reusable grocery bags in exchange for fans bringing in their single-use plastic bags.
  • The Phoenix Suns provided fans with energy-efficient light bulbs, reusable grocery/tote bags, green wristbands, and magnets with recycling tips.

MLB teams also organize many community events related to environmental protection and awareness, including:

  • Players from the Washington Nationals join community volunteers to pick up trash, plant trees and help beautify the Anacostia river area in 2010.
  • In 2011 the San Diego Padres partnered with Buster Biofuels to help power local school buses with renewable, non-toxic fuel.

NHL teams also organize many community events related to environmental protection and awareness, including:

  • In 2012 the San Jose Sharks partnered with Sims Recycling Solutions to run a community e-waste collection event with attendees gaining access to the team’s pre-game morning skate and raffle tickets for a chance to win exclusive autographed Shark’s merchandise and memorabilia.
  • In 2011 the Buffalo Sabres Green Team partnered non-profit Cell Phone for Soldiers to recycle used phones to provide U.S. troops with free methods of communication with their loved ones.
  • NHL League Green Team partnered with Restore Hockey to collect and recycle used equipment donations from the community during the 2012 Winter Classic. All donors were entered to win signed NHL memorabilia, courtesy of the NHL Foundation.

From October 2010 to April 2011, the New Jersey Devils recovered and donated over 9,550 pounds of food, translating to roughly 7,346 meals for local community members in need. Preventing 9,550 pounds of food from going into landfills translates into preventing emission of 8,818 pounds of CO2e, which over the four seasons the Devils have worked with Rock and Wrap it Up!, is equivalent to nearly a day of greenhouse gases emitted on the New Jersey Turnpike.