Award Winners at the 2026 Green Sports Alliance Summit

Award Winners at the 2026 Green Sports Alliance Summit
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At the 16th annual Green Sports Alliance Summit in Cleveland, Ohio, the Green Sports Alliance presented the 2026 Play to Zero awards, Innovations awards, Community Impact awards, Bill Walton Global Champion Award, and the Environmental Leadership Award. These awards celebrate leadership, innovation, and impact at the intersection of sports, sustainability, and social responsibility.

In addition to the annual Play to Zero awards honoring excellence across leagues, teams, and venues, the Green Sports Alliance celebrated winners of new, more specific categories recognizing investments in renewable energy and water replenishment, as well as improvements in energy efficiency and water efficiency upgrades. For the first time, The Alliance recognized organizations with externally verified or certified data through the new “Verified” category.

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2026 Play To Zero Award Champions

Energy Efficiency Champions: Celebrating operational efficiency to reduce per capita energy usage. Champions achieved 10% reduction in energy usage from baseline year.

  • Climate Pledge Arena [Verified]
  • Moda Center | Portland Trail Blazers [Verified]
  • Rate Field | Chicago White Sox [Verified]
  • Austin FC | Q2 Stadium
  • Target Field

Renewable Energy Champions: Celebrating investment in renewable energy resources and supporting voluntary renewable energy markets. Champions achieved 100% of electricity procured through voluntary renewable energy credits.

  • Climate Pledge Arena [Verified]
  • Boston Red Sox [Verified]
  • NASCAR [Verified]
  • Moda Center | Portland Trail Blazers
  • San Diego Padres

Water Efficiency Champions: Celebrating operational efficiency to reduce per capita water usage. Champions achieved 10% reduction from baseline year.

  • Climate Pledge Arena [Verified]
  • Fiserv Forum
  • State Farm Stadium
  • Target Field

Water Replenishment Champions: Celebrating investment in water restoration and supporting local water reuse systems. Champions achieved 100% of annual water usage offset by water credits or other sources.

  • Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix [Verified]
  • Moda Center | Portland Trail Blazers [Verified]

Material Management Champions: Celebrating waste diversion efforts and efficient use of materials. Champions achieved 90% or above waste diversion rates.

  • Austin FC | Q2 Stadium [Verified]
  • Climate Pledge Arena [Verified]
  • Kansas City Chiefs [Verified]
  • Lumen Field [Verified]
  • UBS Arena [Verified]
  • The Ohio State University Gameday Zero Waste Operations
  • USC Football Game Day

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2026 Play To Zero Award Leaders

Energy Efficiency Leaders: Celebrating operational efficiency to reduce per capita energy usage. Leaders achieved 5% reduction in energy usage from baseline year.

  • Lumen Field [Verified]
  • Gillette Stadium
  • Chicago Cubs

Water Efficiency Leaders: Celebrating operational efficiency to reduce per capita water usage. Leaders achieved 5% reduction from baseline year.

  • Chicago Cubs

Material Management Leaders: Celebrating waste diversion efforts and efficient use of materials. Leaders achieved 50% waste diversion rates.

  • Grand Prix Plaza [Verified]
  • Las Vegas Raiders | Allegiant Stadium [Verified]
  • Moda Center | Portland Trail Blazers [Verified]
  • Montreal Canadiens | Bell Centre [Verified]
  • Target Field
  • State Farm Stadium
  • Sporting KC
  • University of Minnesota College Football Game Day
  • San Diego Padres
  • NC State College Football Game Day
  • Moody Center
  • Kaseya Center | Miami Heat
  • Energizer Park | St. Louis CITY SC
  • Centreville Bank Stadium
  • Boston Red Sox

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2026 Play To Zero Award Players

Renewable Energy Players: Celebrating investment in renewable energy resources and supporting voluntary renewable energy markets. Players achieved 30% of electricity procured through voluntary renewable energy credits.

  • Chicago Cubs

Material Management Players: Celebrating waste diversion efforts and efficient use of materials. Players achieved 30% waste diversion rates.

  • St. Louis Cardinals [Verified]
  • Fiserv Forum

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Winners of the 2026 Innovation Awards and Community Impact Award.

Awardees embody sports greening across their organizations and operations, implementing projects that not only reduce environmental impact but also encourage fans, athletes, and community stakeholders to do the same.

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2026 Environmental Stewardship winner: Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc

The Environmental Stewardship award acknowledges quantifiable and scalable contributions to environmental stewardship in areas of waste reduction, energy reduction, water conservation, biodiversity preservation, or transportation accessibility.

  • Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc.: The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix implemented a series of innovative water replenishment initiatives, highlighted by a state-of-the-art atmospheric water generator that produced nearly 190,000 gallons of water by capturing moisture from MGM Grand cooling towers.

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2026 Next Generation Leader winner: Maddie Plank

The Next Generation Leader Award honors initiatives led by individuals under the age of 30, recognizing young leaders who are driving meaningful change within their sport and sustainability communities.

Maddie Plank: As the driving force behind sustainability at Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Maddie Plank has built a program from the ground up—spearheading a sustainability-forward WNBA All-Star Game, launching Pedal to the Pacers, hosting the Pacers' first Sustainability Night, and delivering measurable operational impact—while uniting leaders across sports and the broader sustainability ecosystem.

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2026 Health & Wellness winner: Morehouse School of Medicine, Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Sustainability: The Department of Public Health Education at Morehouse School of Medicine

The Health & Wellness Innovation Award recognizes initiatives focused on promoting health and wellness, including policy advocacy, supply chain management, food systems, air and water quality improvement, and access to healthcare and education.

  • Morehouse School of Medicine, Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Sustainability: The Department of Public Health Education at Morehouse School of Medicine developed innovative research translating sustainability efforts at Mercedes-Benz Stadium into measurable public health outcomes. Their Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Sustainability advanced the connection between sustainable venue operations and human health by demonstrating reduced pollution, improving community health, and increasing food access.

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2026 Community Impact winner: Minnesota Twins

The Community Impact Award recognizes impactful actions that address systemic inequalities and contribute to positive social change.

  • Minnesota Twins: The Minnesota Twins are transforming youth baseball by creating safe, inclusive opportunities for girls to play. Through industry-leading girls baseball clinics, teams, and advocacy, the initiative builds belonging, confidence, and equity, breaking long-standing gender barriers and creating pathways for more kids to play the game they love.

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2026 Bill Walton Global Champion Award: Jason Collins

The award was created to honor the life and legacy of the legendary basketball champion and global citizen, Bill Walton. The award recognizes an extraordinary trailblazer in the sports industry using their voice, platform, and daily actions to drive positive social change.

  • Jason Collins: Thirteen-year veteran of the NBA and pioneer for equality and inclusion won the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award. In 2014, Collins made history as the first openly gay active male athlete in the NBA, MLB, NHL, or NFL. He demonstrated remarkable courage announcing his identity in his Sports Illustrated editorial in April 2013. "I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand."

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2026 Environmental Leadership Award: Mike Richter

For over a decade, the Green Sports Alliance has annually honored a sports sustainability innovator through one of its most esteemed awards, the Environmental Leadership Award.

  • Mike Richter: U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer and President of Brightcore Energy, was recognized for his commitment to sustainability in both professional hockey and his corporate career. Throughout his career in hockey and beyond, Mike has exemplified leadership, integrity, and purpose, long before sustainability became a central focus in the sports industry. Mike helped shape the NHL's environmental efforts and played a key role in launching NHL Green more than 15 years ago.

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