First Base: Venue operations
Reduce a venue's energy, water and waste footprint.
- Expanded recycling
- Less single use plastic
- Solar and shade over parking
Our home run
The biggest impact we can make
Sports bring people together like nothing else. Every week, fans fill stadiums, arenas, gyms and fields in every town. If those places go green, millions of people see it happen. That is the home run.
1
Every sport
Football, basketball, soccer, hockey, tennis, swimming, track and baseball. Any student who plays or loves a sport can compete.
2
Every level
From the neighborhood court to the professional arena, ideas start local and grow.
3
Real projects
Winning ideas get a path to be built at a real venue, with mentors to help.
4
Future leaders
Students meet pros, judges and sponsors, and leave ready to lead on climate.
The lineup
Four bases, four tracks
Every team picks one track and one venue: a football stadium, basketball arena, soccer field, hockey rink, tennis court, pool, track or ballpark. The bases come from baseball and Billy Martin's legacy. The ideas work for every sport.
Second Base: Fan experience
Change how fans act on game day, and make it fun.
- Reusable cup systems
- Transit rewards
- Recycling games
Third Base: Fields, courts and grounds
Make the playing surface and the grounds around it as green as they look.
- Water smart irrigation
- Efficient lighting for fields, courts and rinks
- Native landscaping and compost to mulch
Home Run: Moonshot
An open category for one bold, big swing idea.
- A net zero stadium or arena
- A circular economy concessions system
- Your idea here
Example ideas to get you started
What could your team build?
These are sample ideas, not past entries. Use them to spark your own.
Shade that makes power
Solar panels over the bleachers keep fans cool on hot nights and help run the scoreboard and lights.
The refill cup
A reusable stadium cup with a deposit, plus a game on the big screen that rewards sections that return the most cups.
Rain to grass
Capture rain from nearby roofs and use soil sensors so sprinklers run only when the field needs water.
Zero waste game day
A full plan where every cup, plate and wrapper at a game can be reused, recycled or composted, with a way to measure it.
How to play
What your team turns in
- WhoTeams of high school or college students with an adult advisor.
- ProposalTwo pages: the problem, your solution and its estimated impact.
- VideoA two minute pitch video.
- FinalsTop teams in each track pitch live on Earth Day at EarthX in Dallas, one of the largest environmental gatherings in the country.
The umpire crew
Who judges
- OperatorsSustainability and operations staff from professional stadiums and arenas.
- PlayersA current or former professional player as guest judge.
- ExpertsA representative from the national green sports movement.
- ScoringImpact, real world feasibility, creativity and the strength of the pitch.
Prizes
Play for the pros
Grand prize
MVP Award
Suite tickets to a professional game, a pregame or behind the scenes experience, signed memorabilia, a spot on the EarthX main stage, and a real feasibility review of your idea by ballpark operations staff.
Runner up
All-Star
Field level tickets, autographed memorabilia and a green team gear pack.
All finalists
Starting Lineup
Recognition at a home game with a scoreboard feature and an on field or on court walk on, plus a certificate and press release for your school.
Stretch prize
Extra Innings
The winning school hosts a Green Team Day visit from professional players or alumni.
The season
Schedule
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Fall | Program launch. Schools and teams sign up. |
| Early spring | Proposals and pitch videos due. |
| Spring | Judging and finalists announced in each track. |
| Earth Day | Live Pitch Day and Awards Ceremony at EarthX, Dallas. |
| After EarthX | Winners honored at a home game. |
Where ideas can go
From neighborhood court to pro arena
Good ideas work at every level. Teams can test them close to home and grow them all the way to professional sports.
Level 1
Neighborhood venues
Parks, rec centers, school gyms and youth league fields.
Level 2
Community venues
Community pools, ice rinks and high school stadiums.
Level 3
College and minor league
Campus arenas, stadiums and minor league venues.
Level 4
Pro stadiums and arenas
Top ideas reviewed by professional venue operators.
For Rotary clubs and sponsors
Back a team
Rotary has high school clubs called Interact and college clubs called Rotaract in communities around the world, and protecting the environment is one of Rotary's causes. Those clubs, and the Rotary clubs that sponsor them, are a natural home for Green Diamond teams.
Interact clubs
Form a high school team from your club and pick a venue in your town.
Rotaract clubs
Enter a college team and mentor local high school teams.
Rotary clubs
Sponsor a local team, provide mentors, and help teams get access to a real venue.
Sponsor levels
- Home RunPresenting sponsor of the season and the EarthX Pitch Day.
- TripleSponsor a track and its prizes.
- DoubleSponsor a school team or a venue project.
- SingleSupport student travel, materials and certificates.
Use the contact form to ask about sponsorship.
Questions
FAQ
Who can enter?
Teams of high school or college students with an adult advisor, such as a teacher, coach, professor or club leader.
Does it cost anything?
No. Entering is free.
How big is a team?
We suggest two to six students. Full details will be in the official rules.
Does it have to be about baseball?
No. Pick any sport and any venue: a stadium, arena, gym, field, court, rink, pool or track. The bases are our way of honoring Billy Martin.
Do we need permission from a venue?
No. You can study any venue using public information and your own visits. Talking with the people who run it will make your idea stronger.
Do finalists have to travel to Dallas?
Finalists pitch live at EarthX on Earth Day. Travel details will be shared with finalists.
Who owns our idea?
Your team does. A venue would only pilot an idea with your team's permission.
Can we submit in Spanish?
Yes. Proposals and videos are welcome in English or Spanish.
In honor of Billy Martin
Given the green light
Billy Martin believed in young players others overlooked, like Rod Carew and Rickey Henderson, and told them to go for it. The Green Diamond Challenge carries that spirit forward for a new generation of students.
Designed by
Steve Bender
Steve Bender created the Green Diamond Challenge for Growing Green Leaders. He is Chairman of the US Green Chamber, a Rotary leader in Newport Beach, and the founder of Building Bridges through Rotary, which joins clubs across borders on environmental projects.
Latest news
News from the field
Updates on the Billy Martin Centennial, the Green Diamond Challenge and the students taking part. Follow by RSS.
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Get in the game
Contact us
Sign up a team, volunteer as a mentor or judge, sponsor a prize, or host a project at your venue. Send us a note and we will get back to you.