COMMENT: Sustainability Vs Monetisation

From D2C services to the metaverse, gaming, and omnichannel experiences, sports monetisation opportunities are more diverse now than ever before. But alongside this endless drive to create new monetisation routes, there’s also a growing recognition that the industry has a key role to play in mitigating the impact of climate change.

The willingness among sports organisations to engage in and support sustainability efforts has significantly increased over the last five years. Most sports organisations are well aware of the requirement to reduce their carbon footprint, and many have already set clear goals to reduce their emissions.

The FA, for example, has recently announced it will invest £35 million to achieve net zero by 2040.

Given the sheer size of the sports industry and its almost unparalleled reach and influence, sports organisations are in a unique position to drive forward positive change on many levels, and genuinely make a difference – beyond just reducing their own carbon emissions.

The Power of Influence

The sports industry engages and connects with people across all ages, genders, backgrounds, classes and cultures, and much like the media industry, it has the power to raise awareness, influence behavior, and create positive change on a mass scale.

Athletes and teams can use their huge influence to promote more sustainable behavior, inspiring others to make more sustainable choices.

One recent example of positive action is the 2023 Women’s World Cup, where 44 players took part in an initiative to address the carbon impact of their flights to and from the tournament.

This was the biggest player-led climate action in football history, and saw the players donating money to a combination of climate-resilience, carbon-offsetting and adaptation schemes. Through initiatives like this that focus on sustainability and responsible consumption, sports organisations can do a lot to raise awareness and foster a sense of collective responsibility.

Role of Sponsorship and Advertising

It’s thought that household consumption is responsible for 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so changing consumer behavior is critically important. Advertisers, broadcasters and video providers will undoubtedly play a key role in making this happen. By collaborating with media partners and leveraging different platforms, the sports industry will be able to amplify the reach and impact of sustainability initiatives, to encourage sustainable behaviours way beyond the sports arena.

We need to create a future where the impact of advertising-driven consumption is reduced, and sports organisations can play a key role in this by aligning themselves with sponsors and advertisers that are committed to sustainability. There’s little doubt that if there is enough willingness, the industry has the power to drive positive change through promoting more sustainable and ethical products, services, and brands. It will undoubtedly send a powerful message to fans and stakeholders.

Building a Sustainable Future through Collaboration

None of this will be easy. Media companies, broadcasters, sports organisations and media technology vendors will need to collaborate to find better ways to operate sustainably, without compromising on monetisation. Nobody has all the answers to this complex challenge. We need to innovate together, proactively share best practices, and prioritise sustainability at every level of the value chain.

Organisations such as Green Sports Alliance inspire and support industry stakeholders to embrace sustainability, and should be utilised wherever possible.

By leveraging collective expertise and working collaboratively across the sports and video ecosystem, we’ll be in a much stronger position to identify effective strategies, technologies, and policies needed to drive sustainability efforts forward. The convergence of sports, media, and advertising presents a unique opportunity for change. The world needs action, and if we want to see a brighter future, stakeholders in the sports and media industries will need to join forces and work together to collectively prioritise sustainability.

Rory Renwick works in strategy and business development at Accedo