Partnership will focus on advancing the organizations’ sustainability vision and strategy as well as educating stakeholders on how to make a positive impact on the environment
Cleveland, OH – September 17, 2024 – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Monsters today announced a partnership with WM, a leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions and the largest recycler in North America, to support the organizations’ environmental sustainability vision and strategy.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with WM to advance our sustainability ambitions and continue to find avenues to expand the impact our business has on the environment,” said Antony Bonavita, Executive Vice President and Chief Venues and Development Officer for Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and the Cleveland Cavaliers. “With WM’s support, we hope to enhance our data collection and benchmarking, set and meet our sustainability goals, manage materials and operations across our organization and, most importantly, support and educate our fans and team members in their own sustainability practices.”
WM will leverage its more than 30-year history of sustainability expertise to help improve environmental impact for Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cavaliers and the Monsters in their 2024-25 seasons and work toward meaningful, data-driven results.
“As WM continues to grow the customers we serve in this capacity nationally, including sports leagues, events, teams and venues – we look forward to working alongside these leading Ohio entities to design customized sustainability solutions intended to help them continue to lead now and into the future,” said Eric Dixon, Vice President of Sustainability and Environmental Solutions at WM.
In September 2023, WM opened an approximately $30 million state-of-the-art, single-stream recycling facility in Cleveland, which is capable of processing up to 144,000 tons a year of recyclable material, which is part of WM’s previously announced planned investments in recycling infrastructure of over $1.4 billion from 2022-2026.
“A year ago, our team celebrated the grand opening of our WM Cleveland Recycling Facility, increasing recycling solutions here in Ohio and helping give materials a second life,” said Aaron Johnson, Great Lakes Area Vice President at WM. “We are thrilled to establish local community collaborations to potentially drive circular action in Ohio alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Monsters and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.”
Outside of WM’s sustainability advisory services, the collaboration will feature multiple new fan activations and experiences at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse during Cavaliers and Monsters games for the teams’ 2024-25 seasons. Select activations include:
Will It Recycle? Annual Campaign
Will It Recycle is WM’s annual campaign to encourage the practice of recycling. Fans will have the opportunity to compete in a timeout promotion during select Cavaliers and Monsters games for a chance to win a trip to the WM Phoenix Open, a PGA Tournament event and one of the largest and most sustainable sporting events in the country.
WM Member Seat of the Game
The WM Member Seat, an upcycled dumpster converted to a couch, will be unveiled during the home opener games for both the Cavaliers and the Monsters. Throughout the upcoming seasons, the teams will select two fans during their games to be the WM Members of the Game, highlighting them on the Humongotron and upgrading their seats to the upcycled couch.
Limited Edition Team Shop Drop
The Cavaliers, Monsters and WM will also partner on a limited-edition merchandise drop in Center Court, the team shop at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, that will include upcycled and sustainably sourced items. More information about the merchandise will become available throughout the season.
ABOUT ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE
The recently transformed Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is Northeast Ohio’s premier sports and entertainment facility and major attraction for top-tier concert tours, family shows and signature events, as well as home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Monsters and the annual MAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. Each year, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse hosts more than 200 diverse ticketed events and 1,400 private events that draw over 2 million patrons to downtown Cleveland. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is established as a successful host site for high profile events of international and national scope, including the 2016 Republican National Convention, the 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals, as well as the recent 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and 2022 NBA All-Star Game. Major upcoming events include the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Final Four, 2025 Division I Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds and 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Pollstar, the concert industry’s leading trade publication, consistently ranks Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as one of the top venues worldwide for entertainment ticket sales in its quarterly analysis report. In 2022, RMFH ranked as high as the 12th most active venue in the world, its highest position ever after hosting several world-class events that put Cleveland in the global spotlight. These events have a lasting and significant impact on the city, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the entire region. In Pollstar Magazine’s 2021 Year-End Report of Top 200 Arena Venues Worldwide for Entertainment Ticket Sales, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse ranked No. 27 worldwide in ticket sales for top touring attractions. Visit RocketMortgageFieldHouse.com.
ABOUT CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
The Cleveland Cavaliers, founded in 1970, are a professional basketball team in the NBA's Eastern Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Championship in 2016 while also taking the Eastern Conference crown in 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Known for their community support, workplace diversity and local economic impact, the team plays at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Both the Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse are part of Rock Entertainment Group, the umbrella entity of sports and entertainment properties under the Dan Gilbert ROCK Family of Companies. The Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse provide fans with the best experience in the NBA with an extensive and stunning array of amenities, technology and signature, electrifying game presentation. Dan Gilbert is Chairman of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nic Barlage is the Cavaliers, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and Rock Entertainment Group CEO, and the Cavaliers team is led by President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman, General Manager Mike Gansey and Head Kenny Atkinson.
ABOUT CLEVELAND MONSTERS
The Monsters are part of Rock Entertainment Group. In addition to the Monsters, Rock Entertainment Group also includes the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA, the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League, Cavs Legion of the NBA 2K League, the operation of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Legion Lair Lit by TCP home of Cavs Legion in Cleveland, and Cleveland Clinic Courts - the Cavaliers’ training and development center in Independence, Ohio.
ABOUT WM
WM (WM.com) is North America's leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling, and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics, and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them pursue their sustainability goals. WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet in North America, is the largest recycler of post-consumer materials, and is the leader in beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants in North America. WM's fleet includes over 12,000 natural gas trucks – the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry in North America. To learn more about WM and the company's sustainability progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com.
Media Contact
Daijha Johnson
Djohnson@cavs.com