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Opinion

Why doesn't sport do more about climate change?

Roar Rookie
11th November, 2021
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Roar Rookie
11th November, 2021
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Australia is multicultural society and its major sporting codes are one of the great melting pots of cultures, opinions, and experiences.

Many Australians have a passionate connection with their favourite sports and clubs, and many expect their values to be respected, if not reflected by them.

The star players are held up as idols in the community and held to high standards. The day-to-day actions of the players on and off the field lead to many discussions among the public about racism, treatment of women, drug and alcohol abuse and education among other issues.

Although some will argue that sport and politics don’t mix, for the most part, I believe the interaction is positive and can raise awareness to millions of Australians on important issues.

Most sporting codes have public campaigns with games and premiership rounds dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the important issues.

The Sydney New Year’s Test Match dedicates a day of the match to the McGrath Foundation in support of breast cancer. The NRL and AFL host events supporting Indigenous culture and challenging racism, promoting women and gender equality.

Now the NRL has a multiculturalism round.

Sport can be at the forefront of pivotal movements. The Australian rugby and cricket opposed apartheid by cancelling major tours of the South African teams in 70s. Many professional athletes around the world are supporting the Black Lives Matter movement by taking a knee.

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Yet, despite the significant reach and recent support of other movements, I have not seen a sporting code take any significant stance on the biggest issue facing the modern world – Climate Change.

As an NRL and an AFL fan, I think this is a topic that both codes could put away their grievances and unite to help make the world a better place.

These two codes reach millions of Australians and, with the politicians continually failing on this matter, could provide a strong platform for action.

The idea would be for both the NRL and AFL to host the ‘Play for Our Future Round’ to raise awareness and funds to tackling climate change in Australia.

Naming rights and other sponsorship for the round could be organised to help raise funds and help promote the round.

With the right promotion these rounds could be one of the most popular and boost game attendance and viewership.

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There would be various interviews with industry leaders, players, and coaches throughout the week which would highlight both the effects of climate change and the some of the great work being already being done.

The voice of the public should be harnessed, and public events organised around the games. Local schools would be involved as well.

This is where the concept could get interesting and could generate a lot of interest from viewers who would not normally follow the NRL or AFL, while also making a meaningful impact on the world.

The Act for Our Future competition will run during this week where companies, scientists and entrepreneurs would submit business proposals for projects and initiatives which can help reduce emissions and the effects of climate change in Australia. A panel of judges would adjudicate and select several winners.

A certain portion of the proceeds generated from the round including gate takings, broadcast revenue, sponsorship and donations will be provided to fund the best projects and initiatives each year for them to be implemented. Who knows, the government might wake and up choose to back the initiative and match the investments raised?

A significant enough investment could even result in some heavyweight companies becoming involved. With any luck, this could be become one of the biggest funding sources for new projects in Australia and as such attract significant interest.

Although the majority of proceeds from the Play for Our Future round would be provided to the winners of the Act for Our Future competition, It would be a win-win for the NRL and AFL as the exposure to a wider Australian and even global audience would be exceptional for growth and awareness.

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So, given the politicians aren’t willing to make the necessary effort to tackle our greatest ever issue, let’s hope Peter V’landys and Gillon McLachlan can show them how effective politics can be through sport.

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