VEGAS (October 22, 2025) – Recognized as a 2025 GOAL Sustainability Starter, the Vegas Golden Knights earned five medals across five of the program’s 10 categories. This achievement, with its sustainability impact validated by GOAL, was announced at the second annual GOAL Medal Awards on September 9 in Las Vegas and underscores the venue’s leadership in sustainability and its comprehensive approach to environmental, social, and governance impact.
The Starter designation reflects not only medal count, but also consistency of performance, year-over-year progress, and a holistic commitment to sustainable operations. Of the five medals earned, one was gold and four were silver. Awarded objectives included:
- Promote Alternative Transportation – The RTC Gameday Express provided over 90,000 rides to fans during the 2025-26 season. 7.5% of fans heading to the Fortress use the bus as their gameday transportation.
- Activate Partnerships to Support Community Impact Initiatives – Through VGK’s Go Green Knight initiatives, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, ReRoute Americas & The VGK Foundation came together to support ImpactNV’s goal of planting 100,000 trees in Nevada in 10 years.
- Off-Site: Support the Preservation of Habitat – Following Go Green Knight, members of the Vegas Golden Knights staff planted over 90 trees at Prentiss Walker Memorial Park in North Las Vegas with ReRoute Americas and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.
- Engage Digital Followers – Through engaging content, including a “Man on the Bus” feature promoting the Gameday Express, VGK engaged fans through digital platforms, informing followers of the Knight SHIELD Project’s initiatives.
- Provide Accessible Water for Hydration – City National Arena, Lee’s Family Forum & America First Center provide easy access for fans & staff alike.
“We launched The Knight SHIELD Project with the vision of positively impacting our region through internal, fan and partner engagement,” said Eric Tosi, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the Vegas Golden Knights. “Being recognized for these efforts with five GOAL medals in only the second year of the program is a tremendous honor. We plan to carry this momentum into the upcoming NHL season, so The Knight SHIELD Project continues to advance, evolve and make an even greater impact.”
GOAL leadership also praised the Vegas Golden Knights’ achievement.
“The GOAL Medal winners are examples of the difference every venue and team can make by committing intentionality behind the desire to make an impact,” said Kristen Fulmer, Executive Director of GOAL. “Not every venue can deliver the same results and nor should they - We are thrilled to be able to recognize them for their own individual journey in sustainability leadership. The GOAL program enables venues of all sizes to share best practices and achieve results through deliberate, focused and data-based sustainability practices.”
In partnership with Oak View Group (OVG), Fenway Sports Group, State Farm Arena and Jason F. McLennan, GOAL has guided some of the world’s leading sports and entertainment organizations on a journey of social impact, climate action and responsible change. The GOAL Medal awards recognize industry leadership in a variety of sustainability related topics including environmental, social, and governance. The awards are broken into 10 categories that acknowledge GOAL members excellence at the bronze, silver, or gold level. GOAL Medal Awards categories include Energy & GHG Emissions; Water Efficiency & Quality; Waste Reduction; Health & Wellness; Food & Nutrition; Diversity & Inclusion; ESG Strategy & Commitment; Community Resilience; Guest Engagement & Education; and Sustainable Partnerships. GOAL Medals are designed to reward and celebrate year-over-year improvements aligned to each venue’s sustainability focus areas. GOAL members utilize GOAL’s online platform to access the Medal criteria, submit documentation, and interact with the GOAL team to review and recognize up to 51 Medal achievements.
ABOUT THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
The Vegas Golden Knights are a National Hockey League franchise owned and operated by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment LLC. Established by Owner and Chairman Bill Foley and his family, the Golden Knights were the most successful expansion franchise in North American professional sports history in 2017-18 and won the Stanley Cup in 2022-23. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights visit vegasgoldenknights.com and follow the team on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
ABOUT GOAL (GREEN OPERATIONS & ADVANCED LEADERSHIP)
GOAL is a pioneering sustainability-driven membership and support network of over 55 global members from sports, entertainment, and live event venues, including stadiums, arenas, theaters, and convention centers. The GOAL Medals Awards program is the first industry-wide benchmarking and recognition tool to validate incremental sustainability efforts across 10 ESG topics. GOAL utilizes Salesforce Net Zero Cloud for carbon accounting and customized industry comparisons, which informs action-planning, goal-setting, and corporate partnership support, including connections to vetted vendors. By fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and offering tailored support, GOAL empowers organizations to enhance their sustainability efforts, no matter where they are in their journey. The Founding Partners of GOAL are Oak View Group, the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena, Fenway Sports Group, and green building trailblazer Jason F. McLennan, founder of McLennan Design.
