Launched last week, Green Football’s Great Save campaign aimed to raise awareness of climate change within the football world. The initiative drew attention to the staggering 100,000 tonnes of sportswear that enter landfills annually, equating to 500 million football shirts. While the campaign has succeeded in sparking conversation and creating awareness around the ethics in sport, there are areas where it can be improved for future initiatives (like any good post-campaign evaluation would demonstrate).  Let’s start with the positives:

1. Raising awareness for climate change: The Great Save campaign has successfully highlighted the pressing issue of climate change, especially within the football community. The messaging was clear, positioning football as a powerful platform for global change.

2. Gamifying climate action: The introduction of the “Green Cup” added a fun and competitive element to the initiative. This league table tracked the amount of donated kit, with clubs like Aston Villa in the WSL leading the charge. This created an engaging way for fans to participate and contribute.

3. Strong media partnerships: Partnering with Sky Sports, a media giant with a strong sustainability track record, provided substantial broadcast, digital, and social media support. David Garrido‘s efforts in advancing sustainability conversations at Sky should be recognised for special recognition.

4. Support from eco-friendly athletes and ambassadors: High-profile ambassadors like Gary Lineker, Jamie Carragher, and Demi Stokes amplified the campaign’s reach on social media, encouraging fans to engage and take action.

5. Club-driven spin-off campaigns: Some clubs, like Sunderland, displayed a unique crest on their shirts to emphasise the urgency of climate action. This visual representation sparked important discussions and helped strengthen the overall message of the campaign.

Despite the strong execution, there is potential for improvement, particularly in commercial integration and storytelling.

1. Commercial partnerships: While the initiative highlighted great policy and execution, it could have benefitted from stronger commercial partnerships with brands focused on sustainability in sports, particularly with e-commerce and retail giants like Kitbag, Fanatics, and Sports Direct. These collaborations could have helped amplify the campaign’s message while also generating revenue to fund future environmental initiatives.

2. Retail Collaboration: Retailers could have engaged with the campaign by offering fans discounts in exchange for donating old kits, building a rewarding, circular economy. Additionally, building on the eBay activation, sports retailers could have followed the cultural trend of pre-loved in women’s fashion by creating a retail initiative that directly benefited Green Football.

3. Content Strategy: The campaign had a unique opportunity to break away from typical football narratives. For example, while Sky Sports posted a nice video of Jamie Carragher handing over his 2010 England shirt whilst explaining the campaign, I would have loved to dig into the nostalgia trend and heard Jamie reflect on that moment, offering a personal touch that fans could connect with emotionally.

The Green Football initiative has certainly made a mark, and with some adjustments, it can become an even more impactful movement in the future. With further development in commercial partnerships and creative content, the campaign could build a sustainable revenue-generating ecosystem.   This is the reason I launched the Ethical Agent and I believe that with the right support Green Football has the potential to position itself as a leader in sustainability, benefiting from enhanced consumer loyalty and increasing its ability to fund environmental efforts.