Green Sports Day is celebrated each year on Oct. 6 by the Green Sports Alliance and athletic teams, venues and partners around the world.
Delaware North is proud to spotlight its commitment to sustainability at some of the world’s most renowned sports and entertainment venues in recognition of Green Sports Day. Through innovative partnerships and forward-thinking initiatives, Delaware North is helping to set new standards for environmental responsibility in the industry.
Climate Pledge Arena: leading the way with reusable cups
In collaboration with the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and Bold Reuse, Delaware North has replaced all single-use cups with reusable alternatives at Climate Pledge Arena. This initiative builds on existing zero-waste programs, aiming to eliminate single-use plastics and significantly reduce event waste.
Wembley Stadium: sustainable innovations during Coldplay’s record run
During 10 record-breaking Coldplay shows, Delaware North piloted new sustainability measures at Wembley Stadium. Highlights include replacing approximately 400,000 single-use plastic cups with aluminum varieties, as well as using Draft Top Pro to transform canned drinks into open containers and achieving a remarkable 72% recycling rate.
Petco Park: closing the loop on waste
At Petco Park, Delaware North partners with the San Diego Padres, Republic Services and local brands to boost waste diversion. Efforts include collecting recyclables and food scraps and testing compostable foodservice ware at San Diego’s new composting facility.
Target Field: setting industry standards
Delaware North’s work at Target Field supports the stadium’s award-winning sustainability program. The team sources compostable packaging, separates recycling and organics, donates about 20,000 pounds of food to Rock & Wrap It Up! and integrates sustainability into facility upgrades.
Busch Stadium: fighting food insecurity
This year, Delaware North at Busch Stadium donated an estimated 26,116 pounds of food to the Salvation Army, helping to support community members facing food insecurity. The St. Louis Cardinals also implemented a textile recycling program for gameday staff to provide a sustainable solution for the disposal of old uniforms and launched an internal Sustainability Committee to create and drive actionable sustainability programs.
UBS Arena: leading the way in zero-waste
UBS Arena earned TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency program) Silver certification in 2024 for its zero-waste efforts, achieving over 95% waste diversion from landfill. Under its “Sustainable Brilliance & Community Resilience” framework, Delaware North team members help support many initiatives such surplus food donation to nonprofits, sourcing food locally and sustainably, composting and recycling operations, hiring locally, and hosting sustainability forums and events.
Truist Park: rooftop gardens and local partnerships
At Truist Park, Delaware North installed eight garden towers on the rooftop near the Blue Moon Beer Garden. Executive Chef Jaco Dreyer collaborates with local farmers to grow and harvest fresh produce throughout the season.
During All-Star Week in July, Truist Park and the Atlanta Braves supported Delaware North with several sustainability initiatives, including expanded recycling and composting efforts, water refill stations and aluminum cups.
“Delaware North’s ongoing efforts demonstrate how sports venues can lead the way in environmental stewardship,” said Debbie Friedel, corporate senior director of sustainability for the company. “As we celebrate Green Sports Day, these initiatives serve as inspiration for fans, partners and communities to join the movement for a greener future.”