July 26, 2016
Austin Huns Partner with Green Sports Alliance
Photo: Austin Huns
Austin Huns Release: July 26, 2016
The Austin Huns are proud to announce a new partnership with the Green Sports Alliance, an internationally acclaimed non-profit organization dedicated to leveraging the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where we live and play. The partnership makes Austin Huns the first rugby club in the world to join the Green Sports Alliance.
“We are very honored to be a part of such a reputable organization,” said Huns Rugby Management Owner, Richard Osborn. The Austin Huns are committed to being trailblazers for the city of Austin, TX by advancing sustainability efforts including the designing and building of greener buildings, developing and deploying smart infrastructure, and the engaging and influencing of fan behavior. These projects will save money, which the team can then reinvest and use to expand community programs and other club initiatives.
“The Alliance is thrilled to have the Austin Huns, our first rugby team, join our membership,” said Justin Zeulner, executive director of the Green Sports Alliance. “With the Austin Huns taking the initiative to make strides in greening their organization and operations, we hope the entire rugby industry will follow their lead towards advancing the sports greening movement.”
The Austin Huns are very active in the Austin community. Beginning this past May 2016, the Huns partnered with the Austin Police Department to create the CARY/APD Summer Program for Rugby. The program featured multiple rugby sessions with dozens of participants each session. The club sponsors a blood drive for Central Texas Blood and Tissue Center, in the form of a rugby tournament. “Bloodfest” features over 70 teams from around the nation and is held as an awareness campaign for the growing need for blood donations. The Austin Huns also sponsor blood drives throughout the Austin area.
The Austin Huns join a prestigious group of Green Sports Alliance members that represent over 370 teams, venues, events and universities across 20 leagues in 14 countries. Some of their members include the Superbowl Champion Denver Broncos, World Series winners Kansas City Royals, MLS Cup Champion Portland Timbers, and NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Stantec (formerly Bury, Inc.) and the Huns will work closely on designing and building the first Rugby Complex in Texas, incorporating the Green Sports Alliance’s better practices for sustainable design and operations. The Austin Huns hope to set a new standard for environmental performance and sustainability for sports arenas and will work as sustainability ambassadors in the rugby community and broader sports world. With these goals in mind, the Austin Huns and Green Sports Alliance will demonstrate the impact strong partnerships can have in creating healthy, sustainable communities.
About Austin Huns Rugby
The Austin Huns Rugby Football Club was founded in 1972 as one of the first rugby clubs of its kind in Central Texas. For more than 40 years, the Huns have developed an organization and a culture that have produced winning teams, first class coaches and players, and a training and competition facility that is unmatched by any other in the region. The club is dedicated to developing athletes for national and international rugby competition, who are also constructive and contributing members of the community. The Austin Huns take pride in their contributions to improve the City of Austin and the culture of athleticism in the Unites States. Visit www.austinhunsrugby.com for more information.
About the Green Sports Alliance
The Green Sports Alliance leverages the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where we live and play. The nonprofit does so by inspiring sports leagues, teams, venues, their partners, and millions of fans to embrace renewable energy, healthy food, recycling, water efficiency, species preservation, safer chemicals, and other environmentally preferable practices. Alliance members represent more than 370 sports teams and venues from 20 different sports leagues and 14 countries. Visit greensportsalliance.org for more information.
