NBA for Good: 10 NBA Initiatives for the Community, Environment and Social Justice
2022/12/13 8:12
The NBA is the most popular professional basketball team in the world. This translates into a lot of money and power. This isn’t lost on the NBA and they utilize their immense resources, influence and connections to do right by the league, its players and teams.
They have dozens of league-driven initiatives and hundreds of partnerships that support their local communities in a variety of ways, push for equality, encourage voting, uplifting HBCU, and showing up during the holidays for those that need it the most. Here’s 10 things you may not have known the NBA does for the community behind-the-scenes.
Get Out The Vote: The NBA has used the visibility of their players to encourage more voting among their fanbase. Most recently, the league has created 30 separate videos in each of their markets where players on that local team talk about the importance of taking part in the democratic process so that their voice is heard not only for their generation but for future ones. In addition to that, the majority of NBA arenas have opened up their doors to act as official voting centers or ballot drop offs.
NBA Green Through NBA Green, the NBA has partnered with the Green Sports Alliance to generate awareness and funds for protecting the environment. The NBA is taking steps to be more environmentally friendly and will continue to explore ways of reducing its impact on the environment through community outreach programs, generating awareness among fans and greening its operations.
Brands from different industries have understood the importance of solving social and environmental issues both in their local communities and worldwide. Besides sports associations, IT and gaming companies have their approach. One of these is the sustainability campaign by SkyCity where they take action and play a huge role in creating a better future. These companies do good and inspire their customers to make changes of their own. Being socially and environmentally aware is no longer a trend, but a necessity, and brands know it.
Social Impact Report: Every The 2021-22 NBA Social Impact Report is the league’s first annual compilation of data and information regarding the league office’s efforts in what is commonly known as “Environmental, Social, and Governance“ (E.S.G.) work. Contents of the report include the league’s programs and initiatives around community outreach, youth and elite basketball development, social justice, and diversity and inclusion, among other important areas that reflect our values and commitment.
Highlighting HCBUs The NBA wants to uplift HBCUs and they do so via a Fellowship Program which provides career development opportunities in the business of basketball for undergraduate and graduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The NBA also holds the HCBU Classic – a game played during NBA All-Star weekend. For the 2023 HCBU Classic, Grambling State University will take on Southern University.
Helping During the Holidays
During Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays. NBA franchises connect with their local communities usually partnering with local organizations by providing meals as Jrue Holiday and Elfrid Payton have done, visiting the young patients and their families (as the Cleveland Cavs recently did), donating gifts to children, volunteering at soup kitchens and so many more community events.
Hoops for Troops
The NBA celebrates Veterans Day every season and every year, the NBA hosts its annual Hoops for Troops Week working together with the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. Throughout the celebration, NBA teams, players, coaches and referees collaborate with members of the Army, Navy, Airforce and Marines (as well as their families) to make a positive impact in communities.
Local Community Clean Ups
Many NBA teams are teaming up with their local community to help clean up areas in need. For example, the Orlando Magic has a partnership with PureCycle Technologies. Working as one, their objective is to redirect thousands of pieces of plastic waste from being put into landfills or flowing into waterways in Central Florida. Learn more about the partnership here.
ATC Trees for Threes
Many NBA franchises are teaming up with local groups to make the world greener. For example, the Milwaukee Bucks are working with American Transmission Company (ATC) for the sixth year with the aim to create more green spaces in Wisconsin for future generations to enjoy. Through Trees for Threes group, the ATC will donate one tree to a Wisconsin school for every 3-pointer the Bucks hit at home this season. And these are just some of the projects and initiatives that the NBA takes on during off-day, All-Star Weekend, and the off-season. Out of the four major professional sports leagues, the NBA is the most active and genuinely engaged with their fans and the community they’re a part of.
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