Playing for Indy: College Football Playoff and Playoff Green pushed game-changing community legacy through environmental programs

PORTLAND, Oregon -- Playoff Green announced today the results of its sustainability program as part of the College Football Playoff (CFP) national championship weekend in Indianapolis, as well as its influence on the future of sporting events hosted in Indy. The 2022 edition of the Playoff Green program leveraged the CFP to be a beacon of environmental wellness, equity and resiliency for Indianapolis and college football fans everywhere. All efforts were led nationally by the CFP and the Green Sports Alliance and supported locally by the Indianapolis Host Committee, IUPUI’s Office of Sustainability and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.Playoff Green teams hand-sorted and recovered over 117 tons of materials during two weeks throughout downtown Indianapolis, rescuing 80% of all CFP-generated waste from local landfills. Over 35,000 meals were salvaged from event activities and donated to local food banks, including Second Helpings. In addition, over 75,000 pounds of reusable goods were donated to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis to support affordable homeownership.Furthermore, Playoff Green and the Indianapolis Host Committee joined with AES Indiana to procure enough renewable energy credits to power 100% of the CFP’s city-wide electricity needs game week through renewable wind energy. Unavoidable carbon emissions and water consumption across national championship weekend were analyzed by IUPUI’s Office of Sustainability, with carbon emissions offset through a relationship with South Pole.In the community, Playoff Green and the Indianapolis Host Committee worked with IUPUI to create a four-year undergraduate scholarship program for incoming IUPUI sustainability change-makers. The two entities also worked with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and the Community Alliance for the Far Eastside to finalize the La Plaza Community Orchard. This project transformed a neglected space into a blooming orchard, vegetable garden and play space for local youth. Other key supporters included Dr. Pepper, AAA Flag & Banner, ESPN Corporate Citizenship, Vapur Water Bottles, the Game Changers Institute, Food Loops and Ecosystem Events. About CFP and Playoff Green: The College Football Playoff (CFP) is a postseason event to determine college football’s national champion on the field, while emphasizing the significance of college football’s unique regular season where every game counts. Through its Playoff Green sustainability program, the CFP strives to minimize the environmental footprint of the national championship game and its ancillary activities. Playoff Green leverages the national championship game to be a beacon of environmental wellness, equity and resiliency for its host community and the college football community as a whole.About the Green Sports Alliance:The Green Sports Alliance leverages the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where people live and play. The GSA inspires professional sports leagues, sports governing bodies, colleges, teams, venues, their partners and millions of fans to embrace renewable energy, healthy food, recycling, water efficiency, safer chemicals and other environmentally preferable practices. Through its marquee event greening division, GSA delivers best-in-class sustainable productions to minimize environmental impacts and maximize community legacies, driving scalability and replications across the industry. Visit greensportsalliance.org for more information.Statement from College Football Playoff:We are proud to have been able to limit the environmental impact of our championship event in Indianapolis this year,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff. “Just like the success on the field, this similarly successful sustainability program in connection with our game took teamwork. We are thankful for the efforts of the Green Sports Alliance, the Indianapolis Host Committee, and, of course, the thousands of fans who travelled to the game and took part in all the wonderful activities.”Statement from the Green Sports Alliance:“The Green Sports Alliance commends the leadership demonstrated by the CFP and the Indy Host Committee for using the power of sports to take action on critical environmental needs across Indianapolis,” said Roger McClendon, executive director of the Green Sports Alliance. “Sustainability is about community transformation outside the lines of the field, and we are infinitely grateful to help drive authentic action with local stakeholders during college football’s biggest moment.”Statement from the Indianapolis Host Committee:“On behalf of the Host Committee, we are proud to have invested $100,000 in funding to support these impactful Green Team initiatives,” said Susan Baughman, president of the 2022 CFP Indy Host Committee. “It was important to us that we ensured this event was as sustainable as possible and we’re grateful for our many partnerships with community-minded organizations that enabled us to do just that.”