At the Center for Sport & Sustainability, we conduct high-impact, interdisciplinary research that empowers the global sport industry to integrate sustainability into its core operations. Our work spans the entire sport ecosystem—from professional leagues and collegiate athletics to mega-events and grassroots organizations—focusing on how sport organizations understand, prioritize, and manage sustainability-related risks and opportunities. We investigate material sustainability issues in sport, including decarbonization strategies, supply chain impacts, sustainable facility operations, climate adaptation planning, and stakeholder engagement practices. This work is grounded in rigorous social science research methods and informed by the most pressing challenges facing sport today.

As a leading research hub within the University of Michigan, the Center for Sport & Sustainability invests in the next generation of sport sustainability leaders. We mentor undergraduate and graduate students through research assistantships, workshops, and immersion experiences that connect theory to practice. Our center offers students hands-on opportunities to engage with live projects, contribute to scholarly publications, and present at industry conferences. The Center for Sport & Sustainability is not only shaping how the sport industry approaches sustainability—but also training the scholars and practitioners who will lead that transformation in the decades ahead.

Photo credit: Tom Wong; Kaohsiung, Taiwan - Sept 11, 2019 : View of Kaohsiung National Stadium (World Games Stadium). solar panel on the roof.