OVG signs Green Sports Alliance deal, welcomes venues to GOAL platform

Venue development, advisory and investment company Oak View Group has signed a strategic partnership with the Green Sports Alliance, while it has also added 17 arenas to its recently-announced GOAL sustainability platform.

OVG’s deal with the Green Sports Alliance, an organisation that seeks to promote sustainability among sports venues, leagues and teams, will look to accelerate an industry-wide response to climate change.

The collaboration is designed to align the two organisations’ missions and includes a commitment to jointly create awareness and drive meaningful change.

As part of the agreement, OVG and the Green Sports Alliance will collaborate around the Green Sports Alliance Summit, the 2023 edition of which will be held at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena (pictured).

The partnership also includes content delivery for GOAL, which OVG launched earlier this month through a collaboration with Fenway Sports Group, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena.

GOAL, which stands for Green Operations & Advanced Leadership, will provide venues with a tactical roadmap, easy-to-use tracking tools, a library of resources, and access to like-minded operators, vendors and sponsors.

Other aspects of the partnership include on-site ‘greening’ of events, and connections between over 300 OVG360-managed facilities with Green Sports Alliance members. OVG and the Green Sports Alliance will also collaborate on data sharing and integration relationships, as well as promotional opportunities between GOAL and Play to Zero.

Chris Granger, OVG360 president, said: “This is not time for business as usual. Climate change is an all-too-urgent public health, social justice, economic, geo-political problem.

“Fortunately, by being intentional, by collaborating, and by taking action, we can make a difference within our industry – and for the planet. Our long-time relationship with Green Sports Alliance and its progressive leaders, who are deeply committed to climate action, will certainly amplify the message to all corners of the industry.”

Roger McClendon, executive director at the Green Sports Alliance, added: “Leadership, collaboration, commitment, and innovation are critical drivers to realise an equitable, just, and carbon neutral future.

“The Green Sports Alliance is inspired by OVG’s demonstrated climate action and commitment to social and environmental sustainability. We look forward to leveraging the power of sports and entertainment to ensure a better future for the next generation.”

Meanwhile, a string of major venues have joined GOAL to track their climate adaptation and mitigation progress. The arenas will also help beta test the GOAL platform.

The Founding Circle members of GOAL include the aforementioned Climate Pledge Arena, Fenway Sports Group and State Farm Arena, as well as other OVG venues such as Acrisure Arena in California, Co-op Live in Manchester, and UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York.

Other members include Budweiser Gardens (London, Ontario), Citi Field (New York), Footprint Center (Phoenix), FTX Arena (Miami), Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis), Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara), Moda Center (Portland), Moody Center (Austin), Mullett Arena (Tempe), PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh) and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (Cleveland).

Granger said: “Our Founding Circle partners are some of the most influential and forward-thinking venues across the sports, live entertainment and convention industry. I applaud them for their leadership, for their spirit of collaboration, and for their understanding of the urgency demanded by climate change.

“I look forward to working with them, learning from them, and sharing the very best ideas and best practices with our industry as we race against the clock, together.”

GOAL has been developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services and member venues will be given the chance to track their performance against scientifically backed standards in environmental and social categories such as energy and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, indoor air quality, and health and wellbeing.

The GOAL Standard will also include opportunities to build a customised roadmap towards venue-specific values and locally relevant needs. GOAL will be led by Kristen Fulmer, OVG360’s new sustainability director and the founder of front-office sustainability consultancy Recipric.