{"id":7096,"date":"2025-12-11T09:06:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T02:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/?p=7096"},"modified":"2025-12-11T09:06:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T02:06:17","slug":"from-fifa-to-the-la-clippers-carbon-offset-scandals-are-exposing-the-gap-between-sports-teams-green-promises-and-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/from-fifa-to-the-la-clippers-carbon-offset-scandals-are-exposing-the-gap-between-sports-teams-green-promises-and-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"From FIFA to the LA Clippers, carbon offset scandals are exposing the gap between sports teams\u2019 green promises and\u00a0reality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you go to a pro sports event today, there\u2019s a good chance the stadium or arena will be powered at least in part by renewable energy. The team likely takes steps to reduce energy and waste. Some even claim to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, meaning any emissions they still do produce they offset by paying for projects, such as tree-planting, that reduce greenhouse gases elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The venue upgrades have been impressive \u2013 Seattle\u2019s hockey and basketball arena runs on 100% renewable energy, makes its rink ice from captured rainwater, and offers free public transit for ticket holders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how much of the teams\u2019 offset purchases are actually doing the good that they claim?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an important question, in part because fans may ultimately pay for those offsets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
Lionel Messi of Argentina controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final match. FIFA drew criticism for claiming the games were carbon neutral while relying heavily on sometimes questionable carbon offsets. Julian Finney\/Getty Images<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The cost of carbon offsetting in sports varies by organization, with no industry standard for who pays. Some teams and leagues absorb costs through their operational budgets, treating carbon neutrality as a core responsibility. Others pass costs to consumers: Some teams add sustainability fees to ticket prices to offset each attendee\u2019s carbon footprint. The payment model ultimately reflects whether an organization views offsetting as an institutional obligation or a shared responsibility with fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon offsets in sports are also in the news, with scandals erupting around them in connection with sports from FIFA\u2019s 2022 World Cup to basketball\u2019s LA Clippers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As sport management researchers, we have been following offset agreements and other sustainability commitments that teams and sports leagues such as FIFA have been making to see whether they translate into measurable environmental outcomes. We see lots of good intentions but also a disturbing amount of failures and outright fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where sports teams\u2019 emissions come from<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The vast majority of a sports team\u2019s climate footprint comes from team\u2019s and fans\u2019 travel, which they have little control over. Leagues can reduce teams\u2019 travel somewhat with creative scheduling, but unlike other industries, sports teams have few ways to reduce the bulk of their emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What many of them do instead is offset those travel emissions by buying carbon credits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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