About the Report
One in four U.S. based professional sports* venues participated in our survey.
Our 2023 Report
The third annual Sustainable Sport Index (SSI) Benchmarking Report, released on Green Sports Day, is an analysis of self-reported survey data from 41 prominent professional and collegiate sport teams and venues in North America. The survey collected metrics from 2022 on key performance areas including: energy, waste, water, transportation, food and beverage, environmental resilience, sponsorship, community engagement, and employee wellness.
SSI does not issue certifications, awards, or ranking. Rather, the anonymized report is intended to provide a state of the industry and encourage all venues to participate, regardless of where they are in their sustainability plans.
Our Findings
- Dedicated sustainability positions are on the rise. The number of venues with a dedicated environmental sustainability position on staff has increased to 56% from 24% last year. Among repeat participants from 2022, twice as many now have dedicated positions.
- Increased sponsorship revenue is a recognized benefit of sustainability practices. Sixty-four percent of venues reported that sponsorship revenue has increased 'somewhat' or 'a lot' because of sustainability programs, compared to 47% last year.
- Venues are considering climate-related extreme weather and disasters but are not yet preparing for them. Only 7% of venues have developed climate adaption plans. Meanwhile, 98% note that at least one climate-related risk could affect their venue.
*MLB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS, NWSL
APTIM. In Pursuit of Better.