Reducing the carbon footprint of spectator and team travel at the University of British Columbia's varsity sports events

Matt Dolf and Paul Teehan

Sport Management Review, 2015, vol. 18, issue 2, 244-255

Abstract: •We examine the carbon footprint of travel for small-scale varsity sports events.•We apply an LCA-based carbon footprint approach to refine methodology for events.•Car occupancy rates for event spectators were higher than industry average rates.•4% of out-of-town spectators constituted 52% of total spectator footprint.•Targeting long distance travel is the most effective way to reduce GHG emissions.The carbon footprint of spectator and team travel was analyzed at small-scale varsity sports events held at the University of British Columbia. Sport management literature suggests a need for quantitative environmental impact studies of events, in particular to seek out transport footprint reduction opportunities. This study applies a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-based approach to increase methodological rigour and transparency. We analyze travel patterns of spectators and teams and put forward several scenarios for impact reduction. Results show that UBC spectators had a smaller footprint than teams on a per person basis but a larger overall carbon footprint. Although only 4% of the spectators travelled by air, this constituted 52% of total spectator impact. We find the biggest opportunities for footprint reductions by spectators and teams alike are strategies that (a) reduce long-distance air travel, (b) increase vehicle occupancy rates, and (c) encourage low-emission travel mode choices.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1016/j.smr.2014.06.003

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