PORTLAND, Ore. (November 10, 2016) – From playing their home games in the LEED Gold-certified Moda Center to supporting a range of environmental initiatives, the Portland Trail Blazers are considered among the NBA’s best at sustainability. Beginning Sunday, November 13, the Trail Blazers will showcase five sustainability priorities in five upcoming home games under the NBA’s annual “Green Games” platform. Trail Blazers fans will not only receive information to enhance their own sustainable lifestyles, funds will also be raised to support local environmental nonprofits; and the popular “Item of Game” sold at Rip City Clothing Company retail sites will have a unique environmental connection.
“This is our most fan-connected opportunity to spotlight our organization’s commitment to sustainability and that of the entire NBA,” said Christa Stout, Trail Blazers Vice President of Social Responsibility. “The Trail Blazers will engage a committed group of corporate partners around our five priority focus areas – transportation, waste, water, food and energy – with the ultimate goal of reducing our environmental footprint. There will also be five environmental nonprofit organizations that financially benefit from resources raised by the Green Games initiatives.”
Stout emphasized the importance of like-minded corporate partners joining the Trail Blazers efforts to raise awareness and influence behaviors around sustainability, especially newcomer Uber, now the Official Rideshare Partner of the Trail Blazers. “We have dozens of amazing partners who help us do our work,” Stout said. “We’re especially appreciative of Uber, Wells Fargo and Legend Solar for their willingness be involved as presenting sponsors. Each Green Game event will be unique, educational and inspiring for our fans.”
For each Green Game, the nightly Trail Blazers Foundation 5050 Raffle, in partnership with the Safeway Foundation, will commit 25% of the raffle proceeds to benefit the featured environmental nonprofit. Additional proceeds will also be generated from Item of the Game sales and special silent auction opportunities on the Moda Center main concourse.
To let fans outside the venue walls know when a Green Game is happening, the Moda Center LED roof halo lights will be bathed in green illumination that’s visible for miles. For more information on what fans can do at home or at work to reduce their environmental impact, log on to www.trailblazers.com/live.
Following are detailed descriptions of each upcoming Trail Blazers Green Game:
GREEN GAME #1 – TRAIL BLAZERS VS. DENVER NUGGETS
- Sunday, November 13 @ 6 p.m.
- Sustainable Focus Area: Transportation
- Presenting Sponsor: Uber
- Event Partners: Daimler Trucks North America, Christenson Electric
- Nonprofit Beneficiary: Community Cycling Center
- Fan Engagements: Share an Uber ride using PROMO CODE – SAVEATREE, and Uber will save one acre of redwood forest in the U.S., offsetting one ton of carbon emissions. Designated Uber pick-up/drop-off zone on NE Wheeler Avenue (East Entrance to Moda Center); Bike Night ticket promotion with exclusive prices available for fans riding their bikes at rosequarter.com/bikenight, and using PROMO CODE – BIKE; reflective Trail Blazers pinwheel sticker for each bike; and a chance to win a Damian Lillard autographed bike helmet. Free rides will be available on BIKETOWN bicycles to its Rose Quarter parking stations. There will also be the 5050 Raffle; Silent Auction items at 5050 Raffle Booth; and Item of the Game sales.
- Item of the Game: Limited edition backpacks by Looptworks constructed of upcycled jerseys, basketballs and other premium materials.
GREEN GAME #2 – TRAIL BLAZERS VS. DETROIT PISTONS
- Saturday, January 7, 2017 @ 7 p.m.
- Sustainable Focus Area: Waste
- Event Partners: Republic Services, ServiceMaster, Walter E. Nelson Company, DeSantis Landscapes, StalkMarket Compostable Products
- Nonprofit Beneficiary: Urban Gleaners
- Fan Engagements: Recycling of food and beverage items; recovery of safe, uneaten food items for local charities; 5050 Raffle; Silent Auction items at 5050 Raffle Booth; Item of the Game sales
- Item of the Game: Trail Blazers scarves from Looptworks constructed of upcycled jerseys, basketballs and other premium materials.
GREEN GAME #3 – TRAIL BLAZERS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
- Monday, February 13, 2017 @ 7:30 p.m.
- Sustainable Focus Area: Water
- Presenting Sponsor: Wells Fargo
- Nonprofit Beneficiary: Bonneville Environmental Foundation
- Fan Engagements: For every text of BLAZERS to 77177, Wells Fargo, in partnership with the Green Sports Alliance, will restore 1,000 gallons of fresh water to rivers in Oregon; 5050 Raffle; Silent Auction items at 5050 Raffle Booth; Item of the Game sales
- Item of the Game: Men’s and women’s hoodies from Looptworks constructed of upcycled jerseys, basketballs and other premium materials.
GREEN GAME #4 – TRAIL BLAZERS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS
- Thursday, March 23, 2017 @ 7 p.m.
- Sustainable Focus Area: Food
- Event Partners: Papa Murphy’s, Moda Health, Plum Tasty
- Nonprofit Beneficiary: Zenger Farms
- Fan Engagements: Healthy food options available at Plum Tasty by Moda featuring locally sourced ingredients and fresh preparations; 5050 Raffle; Silent Auction items at 5050 Raffle Booth; Item of the Game sales
- Item of the Game: Head gear from Looptworks constructed of upcycled jerseys, basketballs and other premium materials (**Subject to Change).
GREEN GAME #5 – TRAIL BLAZERS VS. UTAH JAZZ
- Saturday April 8, 2017 @ 7 p.m.
- Sustainable Focus Area: Energy
- Presenting Sponsor: Legend Solar
- Partners: Energy Trust of Oregon, Pacific Power
- Nonprofit Beneficiary: Solar 4 Our Schools Program (Bonneville Environmental Foundation)
- Fan Engagements: 5050 Raffle; Silent Auction items at 5050 Raffle Booth; Item of the Game sales
- Item of the Game: Roll top backpacks from Looptworks constructed of upcycled jerseys, basketballs and other premium materials.
To learn more about the upcoming Trail Blazers 2016-17 NBA Green Games, fans can visit trailblazers.com/greengames. Information about all Trail Blazers single-game tickets can be found at trailblazers.com/tickets. For season tickets and other ticketing inquiries, please call 844-RIP-CITY.