Ocean Conservancy and its partner GOAL on Thursday, June 5, 2025, announced the “Protect Where We Play Tour” launch, a partnership across GOAL’s network of venues to reduce their plastic footprint by deploying a reusable cup programme during concerts and sporting events.
The Protect Where We Play Tour will kick off at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, which is hosting Coldplay on June 6-7. Other tour stops this summer will include Savannah’s Enmarket Arena for The Lumineers, two nights of Billie Eilish at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York and others.
It is estimated that this tour will prevent 1,000,000 single-use cups from entering the waste stream. Bold Reuse, a leading reuse service provider, is supporting the tour by managing all reusable cup operations at participating venues.
“We’re so excited about this activation because it’s the perfect combination of mission alignment and funding for operational changes. We’re grateful for Ocean Conservancy’s collaboration and openness to fund tangible solutions that help facilities implement sustainable change, while also elevating their mission. These are the type of win-win partnerships that enable the positive change that our sports and entertainment industry really need,” said Kristen Fulmer, Executive Director of GOAL.
“With 50% of our oxygen coming from the ocean, whether you live on the coast or hundreds of miles inland, the future of your favourite game, concert, or event depends on a healthy, plastic-free ocean. By tapping into the joy of what it means to be a fan, we can inspire action and create a global movement that protects our planet for the next generation,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Jenna DiPaolo.
Select tour dates include:
- June 6-7: Coldplay at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
- September 27: Lumineers at Enmarket Arena, Savannah, GA
- October 25-26: Billie Eilish at UBS Arena, Belmont Park, NY
In February, Ocean Conservancy launched the Protect Where We Play Initiative, aimed at rallying sports and entertainment fans to protect the future of our planet, leveraging the reach of athletes, artists, and events to mobilise millions of fans in support of ocean conservation. The programme features “Team Ocean Captains” including WNBA’s Napheesa Collier, NFL’s Kelvin Beachum, MLB’s Brent Suter, Paralympian Ezra Frech, and American ballerina Katherine Barkman.
The Protect Where We Play Initiative is the newest Ocean Conservancy programme among decades of work to protect the ocean from plastic pollution. Since 1986, Ocean Conservancy has led the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), mobilising nearly 19 million volunteers to remove 395 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways worldwide.
Ocean Conservancy has also led advocacy efforts to prevent plastic pollution through policies at the state, federal, and international levels.