Star Athletes from WNBA, NFL, MLB, Paralympics and More Kickstart Ocean Conservancy’s “Protect Where We Play” Initiative to Rally Sports and Entertainment Fans Behind the Planet’s MVP: The Ocean
Ocean Conservancy’s New Multi-Year Initiative Draws Attention to Role Ocean Plays in Supplying Fresh Air and Cool Temperatures
WASHINGTON, February 26 — Ocean Conservancy is rallying sports and entertainment fans to protect
the future of our planet through its groundbreaking Protect Where We Play initiative. The program
seeks to leverage the reach of athletes, artists, hometown teams and events to mobilize millions of fans
worldwide, uniting them in support of ocean conservation. The WNBA’s Napheesa Collier, NFL’s Kelvin
Beachum, MLB’s Brent Suter and Paralympian Ezra Frech have already signed on as “Team Ocean
Captains.”
The ocean is vital to life on Earth, producing 50% of the oxygen we breathe, capturing 90% of human-
made excess heat and helping to keep our planet cool and our weather patterns predictable. In doing so,
it supports the fields, waves and slopes we love, as well as our ability to attend music events, appreciate
the arts, cheer our favorite teams and engage in sports. Unfortunately, the ocean is under threat from
rising temperatures, plastic and other pollution, and the loss of critical habitats and wildlife — issues
that Ocean Conservancy has been working on for decades.
“More than ever before, we need to protect the things that bring us together,” said Ocean
Conservancy’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer Jenna DiPaolo. “Chances are, you are already
feeling the impacts of our changing climate on these things that you love. And whether you live on the
coast or hundreds of miles inland, the future of your favorite game, concert or event depends on the
health of our ocean. By tapping into the joy of what it means to be a fan, we can inspire action and
create a global movement that protects our planet for the next generation.”
Flooding, extreme heat, fires and other climate effects are taking a growing toll on sports and
entertainment events. Wildfires in California caused the postponement of NFL, NHL and NBA games, just
months after hurricanes in Florida devastated the Tampa Bay Rays stadium, while a music fan died from
heat exhaustion amid an unprecedented heatwave at a recent Taylor Swift concert in Brazil.
According to a survey conducted by World Athletics in 2023, 77% of athletes believe climate change had
negatively affected athletics, and 83% said they were either extremely concerned or very concerned
about the climate crisis. Climate change can lead to heat exhaustion, dehydration, breathing difficulties
and other ailments that endanger the performance of athletes and entertainers.
As part of the initiative, Ocean Conservancy has launched “Team Ocean,” a collective of notable
athletes, artists and organizations who will lead awareness efforts over the course of the campaign. The
first four celebrity “Team Ocean Captains” are:
Napheesa Collier, WNBA All-Star, Olympic champion, “Unrivaled” league co-founder and
EcoAthlete Champion.
Kelvin Beachum, offensive tackle for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and an advocate for ending
hunger.
Brent Suter, Cincinnati Reds pitcher and board member of Players for the Planet.
Ezra Frech, gold medal-winning track and field Paralympian.
“Most people don’t understand the role the ocean plays in our everyday lives and the challenges it is
facing,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Vice President of Conservation for Ocean Plastics Nicholas Mallos.
“The environmental movement can’t afford to go it alone — we need all hands on deck. I’m grateful to
Napheesa, Kelvin, Brent, Ezra and all the athletes and artists to come who are standing by our side to
protect the future of the places we love.”
What Team Ocean Captains Are Saying
“I want my daughter — and everyone’s kids — to be able to enjoy the same sports that have brought me
so much joy and success,” said Ms. Collier. “And that’s not something we can take for granted — all of
us need to work together. It doesn’t have to be scary — sports have incredible power to bring people
together, and there is no bigger reason for us to come together than to save the things we love. I’m
joining Protect Where We Play because I believe that if we can harness the joy, passion and fighting
spirit that sports create in us all, we can achieve incredible things.”
“As a professional athlete in one of the country’s hottest states, I know how important it is to protect
our teams from heat waves and other climate threats,” said Mr. Beachum. “Studies have shown that our
home stadium could see $965 million in damage over the next decade from high heat and flooding.
Protect Where We Play is about ensuring that future generations can enjoy the same experiences we
treasure today and that's why I'm proud to collaborate with Ocean Conservancy.”
“I’ve dedicated my life to making it possible for more people to participate in the sports that they love,”
said Mr. Frech. “And that means ensuring that we all have safe and healthy places to play. The recent LA
fires affected me deeply — so many of my friends lost everything. It’s important that we all do
everything we can to reduce the impact of extreme weather events, and the ocean is a powerful place
to start. To protect our planet, and to create the best world we can for my little brothers to enjoy sports
like I have, we need to protect the oceans. We need to protect where we play.”
“For me, this really comes down to my kids,” said Mr. Suter. “My wife just had our third child, and my
eldest is just learning to love the game of baseball. Regardless of whether he follows in my footsteps as
a pro, I want all our kids to be able to enjoy the game that has given me so much, and I think that every
athlete would want the same thing. We can all see that the impact of extreme weather on sports is
getting worse — whether that’s hurricanes, fire or heat. If we want future generations to play, watch
and love sports like we’ve done, we need to protect them. We need to Protect Where We Play.”
What Partners Are Saying
"We aim to connect sports and entertainment venue operators — and therefore teams and fans — with
tangible sustainability solutions,” said Kristen Fulmer, Oak View Group’s head of sustainability and lead
for their GOAL program. GOAL, Protect Where We Play’s lead activation partner, is a sustainability
program for live event venues that provides a forum to collaborate with like-minded operators, vendors
and partners who are committed to a more sustainable future. Oak View Group is a live event venue
owner and operator and investor of GOAL, known for facilities such as Climate Pledge Arena.
Fulmer added, “Protect Where We Play is a great way to fund sustainability activations, spotlight
operators leading the critical sustainable operations and elevate the mission to catalyze positive change
for all sports and music fans. I’m excited to see this work in practice as we bring this initiative to select
GOAL members!”
Other strategic partners to the campaign include the Green Sports Alliance, which convenes
professional sports leagues and governing bodies, colleges, teams, venues, their partners and millions of
fans to drive progress toward a sustainable future; EcoAthletes, which aims to inspire and coach
athletes to lead climate action; and Sports for Nature, which aims to deliver transformative action for
nature across sports by 2030.
From March 10 to April 22, Protect Where We Play will be the title sponsor of the EcoAthlete Collegiate
Cup, uniting hundreds of student-athletes across 28 U.S. college campuses to raise funds for vital coral
restoration projects. And from June 10 to 12, as the official ocean health sponsor, Ocean Conservancy’s
Protect Where We Play will sponsor the Green Sports Alliance Summit in Miami. With more events,
activations and opportunities to get involved planned for the coming year, Protect Where We Play is set
to redefine the relationship between sports, entertainment and environmental responsibility.
How to Get Involved
Fans, athletes, entertainers and organizations alike can join Team Ocean by visiting
www.protectwhereweplay.com and using #ProtectWhereWePlay on social media. Together, we can
protect the places we love — on the field, on the stage and beyond.
Protect Where We Play (PWWP) is an Ocean Conservancy initiative uniting sports and entertainment
industries to protect the ocean by leveraging athletes, artists, teams, events and venues to mobilize
millions of fans worldwide. Together, we combat climate change and preserve the future of sports,
entertainment and all the places we play and find joy. www.protectwhereweplay.com
#protectwhereweplay
ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY
Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together
with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and
communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us
on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.