As the newly appointed Team Ocean Platinum Champion, Hydro Flask is committing to more than a traditional sponsorship. The partnership is designed as a long-term collaboration aimed at driving systemic change across the sports and entertainment industries—particularly in tackling the global plastic pollution crisis.

Mobilising Sport’s Cultural Power

At the heart of Protect Where We Play is a clear premise: sport has the cultural reach to mobilise millions of people at scale. By engaging athletes, artists, teams, venues and fans, the initiative seeks to turn awareness into action, connecting everyday sporting experiences to the health of the planet’s oceans.

“The ocean is our planet’s life-support system,” explains Jenna DiPaolo Colley, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Ocean Conservancy. “Every other breath taken by an athlete on the field, a singer on the stage, or a fan in the stands comes from the ocean. Protect Where We Play is on a mission to leverage athletes, artists, teams, events and venues to mobilise millions of fans worldwide in protecting this vital resource, and that includes curbing single-use plastics.”

Tackling Plastic Pollution at Source

The scale of the challenge is stark. Ocean Conservancy estimates that close to 200 million metric tonnes of plastic are already circulating in the world’s oceans, with an additional 11 million metric tonnes added each year—the equivalent of a garbage truck of plastic entering the ocean every minute.

To address this, Hydro Flask and Ocean Conservancy will co-create a series of high-impact activations focused on reducing or eliminating single-use plastics at stadiums and entertainment venues. These efforts will include interactive community events, education and awareness campaigns, and national beach and river clean-ups delivered through Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup®. Crucially, the partnership will also prioritise impact measurement, using the Clean Swell® App to track plastic reduction and waste removal at events.

From Campus Sport to the World Stage

The partnership’s first year will align with major sporting moments. In the United States, Protect Where We Play will support the EcoAthletes Collegiate Cup, engaging student-athletes and university campuses nationwide while spotlighting EcoAthlete Champions throughout the year.

Momentum will then build during June and July around the FIFA World Cup, with fan activations planned in Miami. These activations will highlight the connection between global sport, plastic reduction and ocean health, bringing sustainability directly into the fan experience.

Larry Witt, President of Helen of Troy’s Home & Outdoor Division, sees the partnership as a natural extension of Hydro Flask’s values. “At Hydro Flask, we hold a foundational value to protect the waters and lands where we recreate,” he says. “This relationship builds on our history of community-focused giving and single-use plastic reduction programmes, allowing us to have greater global impact in encouraging public action.”

A Blueprint for Sustainable Sport

Guided by its Refill for Good rallying cry, Hydro Flask’s partnership with Ocean Conservancy reinforces a broader shift within sport—from awareness to action. By combining science, data and the global reach of sport, Protect Where We Play offers a compelling blueprint for how brands and NGOs can work together to protect the environments where sport, culture and communities thrive.