Cups at Super Bowl to be recyclable
Centerplate, the leading hospitality partner to North America's premier sports entertainment venues, Ball Corporation and Bud Light today announced an agreement to bring Ball's infinitely recyclable aluminum cups to guests at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens for Super Bowl LIV on February 2, 2020.
Ball, a leader in cutting-edge, sustainable aluminum beverage packaging, designed the lightweight aluminum cups in response to growing consumer preference for more sustainable products. Centerplate, the exclusive catering partner for Hard Rock Stadium, is adopting the cups as part of the company's Better Tomorrow 2025 goals and to help forward the venue's broader mission to phase out 99.4 percent of single-use plastics this year. As the NFL's official beer and the presenting sponsor of the Super Bowl LIV cups, Bud Light is also doing its part to make a Better World and support Anheuser-Busch's ambitious 2025 sustainability goals. As a result, the aluminum cups will help eliminate more than 500,000 plastic cups annually from Hard Rock Stadium's supply chain.
"We're proud to team up with Centerplate and Bud Light to bring fans at Hard Rock Stadium improved, sustainable hospitality with our game-changing and infinitely recyclable aluminum cup," said John A. Hayes, Ball's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We developed the aluminum cup to ensure it meets growing demand for more green products, and we're excited that our partnership will give this year's Super Bowl fans the opportunity to do better by the environment."
"We're excited to be working with likeminded partners to put sustainable solutions in the hands of football fans on this amazing stage," said Adam Warrington, Vice President of Better World at Anheuser-Busch. "Bud Light has a storied history of celebrating NFL moments and we hope this will be the first of many occasions they can enjoy it from an infinitely recyclable cup."
During the Super Bowl, 50,000 of the 20-ounce cups will be available in the clubs, suites and general concourse areas of the stadium. After the game, the cups will continue to be available at Hard Rock Stadium throughout the year for Miami Dolphins games, University of Miami college football games, international soccer matches, concerts and all other events that take place at the global entertainment destination. Hard Rock Stadium became the first professional football arena to feature the aluminum cups at scale when it debuted them during the Miami Dolphins' final home game of the season in December.
"We are always striving to be leaders in providing innovative solutions for our clients and guests, especially in support of our mission, vision and values," added Centerplate Chief Executive Officer Steve Pangburn. "This is another example of a forward-looking enhancement that will help us reduce our environmental impact in the months and years ahead, not only in Miami but in support of our global mission to make it better to be there in the communities which we serve."
Infinitely recyclable and economically valuable, aluminum is the most sustainable beverage packaging material, and like aluminum cans, aluminum cups can be easily recycled. In fact, 75 percent of the aluminum ever produced is still in use today. In addition to its sustainability and recycling strengths, the aluminum cup is lightweight, sturdy, cool to the touch and provides an elevated experience. It also can be customized with logos and graphics, as it will be for Super Bowl LIV.