Da Bears ‘Bear Down’ on Waste with Reusable Cups at Chicago’s Soldier FieldDa Bears ‘Bear Down’ on Waste with Reusable Cups at Chicago’s Soldier Field

There’s nothing quite like the vibe of an NFL football game. Lots of excitement, lots of food … and lots of trash. Seeking to make a dent in the post-game debris, the Chicago Bears have partnered with Keurig Dr Pepper, packaging reuse specialist Bold Reuse, venue manager ASM Global, and foodservice and hospitality firm Levy to kick off a reusable cup program. With this pilot, the Bears have become one of the first NFL teams to participate in this type of circularity initiative.

The reusable cups debuted at Soldier Field in November for a season-long run and are exclusively available at all vendor locations within the Bears’ United Club, a members-only hospitality area. This pilot program targets over 8,000 United Club members per game, and the cups come in a range of sizes, including 9-oz wine, 16-oz Premium Draft Beer, 16-oz junior soda, and 20-oz Domestic Draft Beer, all at no extra cost to fans.

In addition to Cup labeling and table tents prompt fans to deposit their 'empties' in marked collection bins, shown above. (Image: Chicago Bears)

The program expands on the Bears’ ongoing sustainability efforts, which are a priority for the team’s gameday operations, Paul Neurauter, the team’s senior vice president of operations sustainability, said in a press release, adding: “We are excited about the impact this program will have on reducing single-use plastic waste generated on gamedays.”

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Team and partner circularity goals.

After fans receive their reusable cup from the concession stand and enjoy their beverage, the cups are returned to a marked collection bin when finished. From there, janitorial and environmental services collect the cups, and Bold Reuse will be responsible for pickup, cleaning, sanitizing, and returning the cups prior to the next event.

Bold Reuse is a female-owned and operated company dedicated to ending single-use waste. The Soldier Field pilot program is the company’s first location in Illinois. It’s the company's latest in a series of sports venue partnerships that also include a PepsiCo partnership at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team. The company has also partnered with Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers. Bold Reuse also established its reusable cup program at CPKC Stadium, the first stadium built for a National Women’s Soccer League team, the Kansas City Current.

Melanie Condon, senior spokesperson for Keurig Dr Pepper, told Packaging Digest the Chicago Bears’ cup program is the latest in the company’s efforts to improve recycling, foster proper US consumer recycling behaviors, and develop innovative, supportive solutions.

“For this pilot, we are starting in a controlled environment so we can test and learn,” she says, noting that the United Club offers a smaller subset of fans, and therefore, more influence on where they are using and returning the cups. “Our focus in year one is to make fans aware of the program, encourage them to return the cups, and reduce the use of disposable plastic. Specifically, we’ll be monitoring the effectiveness of the messaging and the placement of the return bins to maximize results.

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“Our immediate efforts are focused on gathering as many learnings as we can,” she continues. “By taking small steps initially, we’ll be better positioned for the long term to scale a sustainable reuse model for beverages.”