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Millions of climate-positive actions taken during sporting summer

Sports fans take more than 1.7 million green actions this summer, helping to protect sports from the effects of climate change. The special one-hour documentary will premiere on Sunday, October 9 at 7.30pm and 9pm on Sky Sports Premier League

Thursday 22 September 2022 14:54, UK

Crowds look on during Day Four of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 17, 2022
Image: Crowds at The 150th Open were among those to make pledges when visiting the on-side Sky Zero activation

More than 1.7 million climate-positive actions were taken by fans attending sporting events over the summer.

Fans took steps including eating less meat, using greener forms of transport, recycling more waste and using refillable water bottles during major events.

As well as taking certain actions, nearly 10,000 people who watched The Hundred, the F1 British Grand Prix, the 150th Open and Super League's Magic Weekend made pledges when visiting the on-side Sky Zero activation at these events.

As part of Sky's ambition to be net-zero carbon by 2030, the broadcaster has committed to work closely with key rights holders and governing bodies to help educate sports fans on the impact that climate change is already having on the world of sport - with rain delays, flooded pitches and events impacted by smoke from wildfires, as well as athletes suffering from heat-exhaustion all adversely affecting the sports we love across the world.

sky zero

The results from this campaign come one year on from Sky's Game Zero - the world's first elite-level football game which achieved net-zero carbon status in September 2021.

On the day, both teams arrived at the stadium in coaches powered by green biodiesel, the Tottenham Hotspur stadium was powered by 100% renewable energy and 94% more vegetarian and plant-based meals were bought by fans.

Jonathan Licht, Managing Director, Sky Sports said: "Climate change is something that is threatening sport and wider society, and we are extremely passionate about trying to encourage sports fans to act and make changes in their own lives.

"To have sports fans taking more than 1.7m tangible actions over the summer of elite sport is great to see and demonstrates what a difference we can continue to make when all corners of the sports industry come together to take purposeful action."

Highlight figures from the actions taken this summer include:

Sports fans achieved a total of 1.74 million actions.

The majority of actions (1.25 million) were through fans using reusable bottles and cups at the sporting events, as well as recycling their waste.

At The Open, 65% of fans attending brought or bought their own reusable bottle, refilling at the free on-site water stations across The Old Course in St Andrews. At Magic Weekend in partnership with Sky Zero, 100% of fans at St James’ Park used biodegradable and fully compostable paper cups instead of single-use plastic cups, and at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, it is estimated that bottles were refilled over 600,000 times at Silverstone.

At Magic Weekend in partnership with Sky Zero, 100% of fans at St James’ Park used biodegradable and fully compostable paper cups instead of single-use plastic cups, and at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, it is estimated that bottles were refilled over 600,000 times at Silverstone.

Around 420,000 actions were recorded by fans who cut down on transport emissions by getting around greener to sports venues.

Sustainable forms of transport included using public transport, park and ride shares, cycling and walking. Across The Hundred tournament, over 50% of fans travelled to the stadiums using a greener form of transport

Just over 69,000 actions were tallied up as fans also played their part by choosing to eat vegan or vegetarian alternatives instead of traditional meat-based match-day meals.

Additionally, nearly 10,000 fans pledged climate-positive actions at the Sky Zero on-site activation at these sporting events this summer.

Sky Sports subscribers interested in learning more about how climate change can affect the sports they love can tune into a Sky Sports documentary, Football's Toughest Opponent.

The documentary explores the impact of climate change on football, how football contributes to climate change and what governing bodies, clubs, managers and players are doing to tackle the climate emergency.

Contributors include Ben Mee, Chris Smalling, Jen Beattie, Petr Cech, Ralf Hassenhuttl, Serge Gnabry, Sofie Junge Pedersen and UEFA's Michele Uva.

The special one-hour documentary will premiere on Sunday, October 9 at 7.30pm and 9pm on Sky Sports Premier League.

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