NFL Joins the Green Sports Alliance as a League Member

Today the Green Sports Alliance (Alliance) announced a league membership driven by the NFL Environmental Program. With this new membership, the Alliance will support league sustainability efforts.

“The Green Sports Alliance is delighted to have the NFL join our mission to support healthier, more sustainable communities where we live and play,” said Justin Zeulner, Executive Director of the Green Sports Alliance. “Several NFL teams and venues have been members of our organization for many years and we’re thrilled that the NFL, as a league, is formally pledging their commitment to the environment by joining the sports greening movement and our impressive membership base. Together we have the opportunity to inspire and educate millions of fans around environmental stewardship and engagement.”

“Professional sports organizations compete in many areas,” said Anna Isaacson, Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility, “But sustainability is one area where the interests of all organizations converge. Protecting our shared environment and preserving it for future generations is a common goal that we all can support and upon which we can cooperate and share resources and best practices.”

The NFL began the first environmental initiative at a major professional sporting event in 1994 at Super Bowl XXVIII in Atlanta, with the introduction of a pilot recycling program. During the past 25 years, the leagues sustainability portfolio has grown to include extensive recovery projects for both prepared food and event materials, collection for donation of hundreds of thousands of books and sports equipment items, use of green energy to power our signature events, public E-waste recycling events in partnership with NFL sponsor Verizon, and an award-winning urban and community forestry program that has left a permanent green legacy in every Super Bowl host community since 2004.

In 2017, the Alliance honored Jack Groh, Director of the NFL’s Environmental Program, for his instrumental work in greening NFL events including Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and the NFL Draft. With Mr. Groh’s support, the NFL has been a leader in event sustainability and continues to push forward new initiatives and environmental projects addressing the large-scale impact sporting events have, with a goal of leaving permanent green legacies in every host community they visit.

The Alliance is proud to announce that NFL will be sponsoring the Green Sports Celebration event at the 2018 Green Sports Alliance Summit, in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. During this event, Atlanta Falcons & Atlanta United FC Owner, Arthur M. Blank, will be honored for his commitment and dedication to the Atlanta community and ESPN will receive the Environmental Leadership Award for their efforts in community engagement, social equity, and environmental stewardship.

Registration is Open for the Summit

The Green Sports Alliance Summit is the most influential convening of key stakeholders from around the sporting world for the purpose of sharing best practices, inspiring positive change, and improving the communities where we live and play. Register and learn more at greensportssummit.org

About the Green Sports Alliance

The Green Sports Alliance leverages the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where people live and play. The Alliance inspires professional sports leagues, sports governing bodies, colleges, teams, venues, their partners and millions of fans to embrace renewable energy, healthy food, recycling, water efficiency, safer chemicals and other environmentally preferable practices. Alliance members now number nearly 600 organizations representing 15 leagues in 14 countries.