Is Football Exempt From Causing Climate Change?

[spen666]

I ask this question after seeing this story in the Guardian https://tinyurl.com/2zu8nuej
So, whilst we are being bombarded with evidence of the harm our travelling is causing to the environment, we now have 3 nations , one of which is other side of continent to the other 2 looking to host a tournament that previously is normally being hosted by 1 country.
the Ukraine / Spain/ Portugal bid has rivals though- another 3 country bid from Egypt/ Greece/ Saudi and a 4 country bid from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile

These tournaments held in multiple countries will necessitate teams flying to / from several countries during the tournament

Yet, I hear very little in media mentioning the effect on the environment of this increased travelling.

Then we have UEFA looking to expand the number of teams in their competitions. They are making their competitions, not only have more teams in them, but turning cup competitions to league formats thus increasing the number of games and therefore the amount of cross Europe travel involved in competitions

Yet, I hear very little in media mentioning the effect on the environment of this increased travelling.

Even in domestic football we have teams hiring planes and flying relatively short distances to games. I believe Manchester united recently fley to an away game at Leicester, and to make it even more absurd, the Manchester united team coach drove from Manchester to pick team up at airport and drive them to ground and back.

Yet, I hear very little in media mentioning the effect on the environment of this increased travelling.

These are only a few examples at the higher levels of football where clubs/ competition organisers etc are acting in ways to unnecessarily increase the carbon footprint of football, but it seems there is no mention of this in media, and the various environmental groups are not speaking out on this, seemingly preferring instead to target people going to work etc by blocking roads.

is it a case of them being afraid to tackle the main offenders?

 

[Chromatic]

All the myriad motor racing sports too.

 

[BoldonLad]

All the myriad motor racing sports too.

Why not cut straight to the chase, and, say, all sports which involve travel by hydrocarbon fuelled transport, and/or if the sport itself involves the use of hydrocarbon fuelled vehicles, and/or if the sports infrastructure involves the consumption of hydrocarbon fuels.

I think that may just about mean the end of sport

 

[Beebo]

All the myriad motor racing sports too.

Motor racing gets a very bad rep. The actual fuel usage is a minimal amount of the total footprint. And the development of economic engines has benefited all manufacturers of domestic cars.

A sport like football with huge numbers of fans travelling to matches all over the world every week has a far bigger footprint. The factor in the energy to keep all the pitches green plus the flood lights on.

 

[Beebo]

Why not cut straight to the chase, and, say, all sports which involve travel by hydrocarbon fuelled transport, and/or if the sport itself involves the use of hydrocarbon fuelled vehicles, and/or if the sports infrastructure involves the consumption of hydrocarbon fuels.

I think that may just about mean the end of sport

Exactly. Even bike racing has a huge footprint. Moving 150 riders plus their teams and equipment around France for 3 weeks must have huge logistical complications.
The fact that the bikes are powered by carbon neutral ‘engines’ is immaterial to the overall impact.

 

[Mr Celine]

I ask this question after seeing this story in the Guardian https://tinyurl.com/2zu8nuej
So, whilst we are being bombarded with evidence of the harm our travelling is causing to the environment, we now have 3 nations , one of which is other side of continent to the other 2 looking to host a tournament that previously is normally being hosted by 1 country.
the Ukraine / Spain/ Portugal bid has rivals though- another 3 country bid from Egypt/ Greece/ Saudi and a 4 country bid from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile

These tournaments held in multiple countries will necessitate teams flying to / from several countries during the tournament

Yet, I hear very little in media mentioning the effect on the environment of this increased travelling.

Then we have UEFA looking to expand the number of teams in their competitions. They are making their competitions, not only have more teams in them, but turning cup competitions to league formats thus increasing the number of games and therefore the amount of cross Europe travel involved in competitions

Yet, I hear very little in media mentioning the effect on the environment of this increased travelling.

Even in domestic football we have teams hiring planes and flying relatively short distances to games. I believe Manchester united recently fley to an away game at Leicester, and to make it even more absurd, the Manchester united team coach drove from Manchester to pick team up at airport and drive them to ground and back.

Yet, I hear very little in media mentioning the effect on the environment of this increased travelling.

These are only a few examples at the higher levels of football where clubs/ competition organisers etc are acting in ways to unnecessarily increase the carbon footprint of football, but it seems there is no mention of this in media, and the various environmental groups are not speaking out on this, seemingly preferring instead to target people going to work etc by blocking roads.

is it a case of them being afraid to tackle the main offenders?

I think if you're concerned about the private use of air travel you should chuck shite at Sir Tom's memorial.

 

[spen666]

Why not cut straight to the chase, and, say, all sports which involve travel by hydrocarbon fuelled transport, and/or if the sport itself involves the use of hydrocarbon fuelled vehicles, and/or if the sports infrastructure involves the consumption of hydrocarbon fuels.

I think that may just about mean the end of sport

No, I am not suggesting anything of the sort.

i am talking about football vastly increasing its carbon footprint. I am not trying to row back on what exists and has done so.

its the vastly increasing carbon footprint at a time we are all getting told to reduce our carbon footprint

 

[matticus]

@spen666
How much have you heard in media mentioning the effect on the environment of this increased travelling?

 

[BoldonLad]

No, I am not suggesting anything of the sort.

i am talking about football vastly increasing its carbon footprint. I am not trying to row back on what exists and has done so.

its the vastly increasing carbon footprint at a time we are all getting told to reduce our carbon footprint

I didn't suggest you were, which is why I didn't reply to your post, but, to a poster who mentioned another sport than football.

 

[matticus]

... and the various environmental groups are not speaking out on this, seemingly preferring instead to target people going to work etc by blocking roads.

is it a case of them being afraid to tackle the main offenders?

Afraid to tackle them? Hmm... do you not recall the protestor who was run over with a Range Rover, whilst staging a peaceful sit-down protest.

Is this just another Treehugger-bashing rant? "Bloody hypocrites, stopping hard-working families getting to work, while they swan around the planet to their conferences!"

 

[spen666]

Afraid to tackle them? Hmm... do you not recall the protestor who was run over with a Range Rover, whilst staging a peaceful sit-down protest.

Is this just another Treehugger-bashing rant? "Bloody hypocrites, stopping hard-working families getting to work, while they swan around the planet to their conferences!"

You think UEFA, FIFA and the Premier League Football clubs are "treehuggers"


You really ought to learn to read. I have called out the behaviour of FIFA, UEFA and Premiership Football Clubs. and no one else.


No idea who you are calling treehuggers

 

[Fab Foodie]

Why not cut straight to the chase, and, say, all sports which involve travel by hydrocarbon fuelled transport, and/or if the sport itself involves the use of hydrocarbon fuelled vehicles, and/or if the sports infrastructure involves the consumption of hydrocarbon fuels.

I think that may just about mean the end of sport

It's a question worth asking though....

 

[matticus]

Why not cut straight to the chase, and, say, all sports which involve travel by hydrocarbon fuelled transport, and/or if the sport itself involves the use of hydrocarbon fuelled vehicles, and/or if the sports infrastructure involves the consumption of hydrocarbon fuels.

I think that may just about mean the end of sport

Yes; it's a good idea to look at the destructive impacts of ALL human activities.

Your closing comment is just simplistic nonsense.

 

[matticus]

You think UEFA, FIFA and the Premier League Football clubs are "treehuggers"


You really ought to learn to read. I have called out the behaviour of FIFA, UEFA and Premiership Football Clubs. and no one else.


No idea who you are calling treehuggers

-- errr no, not as a rule! IMO, anway ..
-- thanks! But you seem to be criticising the protestors for just choosing soft targets. Am I wrong?
-- the protestors. I thought that was clear, but if not, mea culpa. (And I don't consider it an insult, but in reality that is how it's most often used!)

 

[albion]

Yes. Those billions spent on stadiums,roads, hotels etc are simply made out of hot air.
https://www.euronews.com/2022/11/02...er-misleading-world-cup-carbon-neutral-claims
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63466168

Either that or Fifa is taking its corruption to a whole new level. Saudi money of course wins it by a mile for the thread link bid.
Think of all the lovely bribes.

Talking of bribes, Qatar have seemingly fully paid for fans to blog positivity while there. So any real positivity will likely now get the accusation of being an employee.