Saving Money and Going Green
This leads to the solution that if managers invest in green stadiums and earn a LEED certification, they can raise their ticket prices to make up the difference and will not lose customers due to a higher price. Well stated by the study, “In a highly competitive sports market, furthermore, respondents may perceive green stadiums as a unique selling point. As a result, spectators may be inclined to pay more for an exceptional and environmentally responsible experience that distinguishes a green stadium from its counterparts.” Especially in American culture, the more different and unique a stadium can be, the more people will be attracted to and interested in taking part in experiencing the stadium. In the study, the traditional stadium with the least number of green aspects was the least preferred stadium showing that even just a few green aspects can help the stadium financially.
This can be supported by another study that found that 69 percent of respondents from around the world were interested in following more green sports and competitions. Going green would make fans more interested in the uniqueness of the stadium and its teams. It also shows that 50 percent would be more “keen to buy sustainable team/brand merchandise.” Having a green brand would help return more revenue to the team because of its uniqueness and pro-environmental stance.
The first study also found that the respondents were willing to pay extra “for each additional percent increment in the usage of harvested rainwater for non-potable purposes such as irrigation, toilet flushing, and cleaning.” Therefore in addition to saving money from not depending on the city’s water supplies as much, the stadium will also make more for that exact reason.
The study also showed that the use of rainwater was ranked third in the most important aspect when choosing a facility that the respondent would prefer. The use of rainwater was only beaten by what kind of energy the stadium uses and the price of the ticket. Compared to all the options that influenced the decision (rainwater use, renewable energy, messages to promote sustainable behaviors, public transportation options, waste reduction, building materials, carbon emission reduction, and ticket price), the fact that the use of rainwater was third most important tells us that reducing water and recycling it is an important aspect in gaining more customers for a higher price.
