Sporting teams across the globe pay substantial salaries to highly gifted athletes to perform a job. The article Highest paying teams in the world states that “278 teams in 14 major pro leagues, covering seven sports, spanning 10 countries, comprising 7,925 athletes making a combined $15.69 billion in salary” all to entertain people. How much do these organizations spend in the name of becoming better corporate citizens? Typically the more a club spends the more successful they are.
Minor league franchises need to maximize their resources and obviously spend a fraction of this amount on the players and tend to be more community oriented and focused on the entertainment value of the event. Typically the organization does not own the venue and has a long term lease that obligates them to maintain the facility during the lease period. Consequently, it is advantageous to the team to operate the facility as efficiently as possible. Capital improvements to the structure would need to be discussed with the actual owner.
Minor league franchises are heavily dependent on local sponsorship. Partnerships with organizations to further enhance sustainability are needed. For instance, a local team could involve a manufacturer of waterless urinals to improve efficiency of the water usage at the arena. By inviting them to become a stakeholder it would encourage a mutually beneficial relationship as opposed to just selling advertising space. Franchises can also work with concessionaires to fully integrate recycling initiatives and educate employees and volunteers to cut down on waste and to use materials that are more conducive to recycling.
I like this idea of approaching local sponsorship as a pathway to getting more sustainability action in minor league sports. I wonder what green brands might want to have a presence at a minor league game to branch out beyond the standard LOHAS crowd? I wonder who in the minor league team is going to champion sustainability?
engaging stakeholders is a great approach. do you think that by going green will provide a monetary return as well as a social one?