When putting together a soccer team, while on the pitch performance is critical, so is the impact that you make off the pitch. For Udinese, who are in search of their third consecutive season of improving their standing in Serie A, they'll also make history on Saturday when they face Cagliari in a match to play for sustainability. In connection with UEFA, the Serie A side will be the first team to use this Football Event Sustainability Manual while putting on a soccer match and will use the game as a benchmark for how they implement more sustainable practices in the future.
The Italian side were already on the cutting edge of sustainable soccer practices, as the club ranks highly within sustainability indexes, and Bluenergy Stadium is outfitted with solar panels, which also power the Energy in Campo, a renewable energy community, the first of its kind in Italian soccer. But while sustainability has been important, how fashion helped throw Udinese further down this path is an interesting story.
How to watch Udinese vs. Cagliari, odds
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19 | Time: 9 a.m. ET Location: Bluenergy Stadium -- Udine, Italy Live stream: Paramount+ Odds: Udinese +125; Draw +230; Cagliari +230
"So six years ago, there was this big movement in fashion, you know, trying to be sustainable, to use sustainable materials. And so I said, why don't we use soccer to give the message, you know? Because we all agree that soccer is a great way to influence not only the supporters but the culture in general," club executive Magda Pozzo said, speaking to CBS Sports.
The fashion aspect and ensuring that they use sustainable practices in jerseys is something that has gone global with Major League Soccer utilizing parlay kits, but similar to how Udinese as a team wants to make sure that they prop up young talent, they also want to do the same with designers. Three years ago, they started a project with the Fashion Trust in Milan where an up-and-coming designer works on their third kit, which is a good way to ensure that they have a unique look while also bringing along younger designers. That eye to what may work in the future is similar here as during this game, Udinese will be able to figure out what works and what doesn't.
"It's not only about making the practices available but also about having the data and monitoring the practices. This is very important for us, you know? Because up to now maybe we were very excited and willing to introduce practices all the time, and now it's time where we want to monitor them and to get precise feedback on what's good we keep implementing or what doesn't make sense," Pozzo continued.
From a viewing perspective, the match will look similar to a standard fixture, but to those tuning in on Paramount+, the pre-match lineup where players and mascots come out will see bikes accompanying the kids on the field. This is to show a bit of the initiative for fans to travel by bike to the stadium, while there will also be designated buses for fans when that's not possible. Biking to the match is a fan experience that happens at other clubs around the world, but this way of highlighting it in pre-match ceremonies is something a little different. From adding more vegan and vegetarian options to the matchday menu to even ensuring that food is only sourced locally, there's no stone that has been left unturned. Depending on what comes out of the match, it could have a significant impact on how teams source materials moving forward, which is why the results, which will be shared by the club, will be just as important as the experience in this unique setup.
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