BASIS Sustainable Sport Conference 2026

Another thought provoking and inspiring BASIS Conference, this time hosted at 2 venues in Manchester.

Over 3–4 June 2026, the BASIS Sustainable Sport Conference returned with a bold new format across two iconic Manchester venues. Day one brought together leaders from across sport, government, business and civil society at the National Football Museum, while day two moved to the Manchester Central Convention Complex for the Action Forum - a focused collaborative space for members and partners. Guiding the conversations throughout was Jess Silva, broadcaster, presenter and co-founder of Carbon Jacked, who brought energy, insight and a unifying presence to the two-day event.

The Stage Was Set

As a sports stadia and venue consultancy, sustainability is woven into almost every conversation we have with clients - whether that’s energy infrastructure, climate resilience, or long-term venue strategy. So the BASIS Sustainable Sport Conference has become an event we genuinely look forward to, not just tick off the calendar.

This year it returned with a bold new format across two days in Manchester, and we made the most of both. Day one was hosted at the National Football Museum - a genuinely inspiring setting, packed with the history and emotion of the game, which gave the day’s conversations a real sense of purpose. There’s something clarifying about discussing the future of sustainable sport inside a building that reminds you why sport matters so much in the first place. Jess Silva, broadcaster, presenter and co-founder of Carbon Jacked, hosted the event with warmth and real authority.

The Big Themes on Day One

The conference day at the National Football Museum brought together leaders from across sport, government, business and civil society - and the agenda covered a lot of ground. For us at Rockvolt, a few themes hit particularly close to home. The session on the UK’s energy transition was the one we were most invested in, and it delivered. For large stadia and venues, energy is one of the most significant operational levers - and one of the biggest costs. The discussion went beyond surface-level solutions into the structural questions: grid connectivity, long-term procurement strategy, and why venues need to be making infrastructure decisions now that will define their position for the next decade.

The conversation around climate risk and resilience was equally important. Extreme weather, shifting seasonal patterns, and the long-term viability of outdoor sport are no longer hypothetical concerns - they’re live planning issues. There was a refreshing honesty in the room about how much of the sector is still in the early stages of properly assessing these risks. For Rockvolt, it reinforced something we believe strongly: climate resilience needs to be part of every venue masterplan from the outset, not bolted on at the end.

Where Strategy Meets Practice

The afternoon sessions looked at leadership, governance, and how sustainability actually gets embedded across an organisation - and this felt like one of the most valuable parts of the day. The point that landed hardest for us: sustainability doesn't stick when it lives in one team or one person's remit. It has to be present in boardroom conversations, in how capital projects get approved, and in procurement decisions from the earliest stages.

There was also a strong thread around partnerships and innovation - encouraging examples of organisations sharing knowledge rather than working in silos, and a broader sense that collaboration across the sector is picking up pace. As a consultancy working across venues and sports stadia, that connective role is one we take seriously. The day closed with a drinks reception in the Box Gallery which was a welcome chance to keep the conversations going.

Day Two

The second day moved to the Manchester Central Convention Complex for the Action Forum — a more focused, collaborative space for BASIS members and Sport England system partners. Where day one was about direction and inspiration, day two was about delivery. Structured roundtables, workshops and peer-learning sessions gave us the chance to have the kind of honest, unpolished conversations that don’t always happen in a conference setting.

What’s actually working, where people are genuinely stuck, and what the sector needs more of. For Rockvolt, it was an invaluable chance to hear directly from venue operators and sports bodies about the pressures they’re navigating day to day — and that feeds straight back into how we approach our work with clients.

We came back with a clearer sense of where the sector is heading, a sharper understanding of the challenges our clients are likely to face in the months ahead, and a few new connections we’re looking forward to building on. If you work in or around sports venues and haven’t yet engaged with BASIS, we’d encourage you to. Events like this are worth your time — and we’ll be back next year.

Conference Partners

Peter Watts Panel Chair

“It was a pleasure to chair a panel discussion alongside leading sustainability practitioners from Arsenal, Surrey County Cricket Club, and Goodwood Motorsports — all respected organisations pushing the boundaries of sustainable practice in sport and events.

Each panellist brought valuable, experience-based insights into how sustainability is not just a siloed initiative, but a core consideration across all operational areas — from day-to-day activities to matchdays and major event delivery. What stood out was their shared commitment to placing the customer and guest experience at the centre, while simultaneously striving to minimise environmental impact.

Across the discussion, it became clear that sustainability is now embedded into operational decision-making — not just as a compliance exercise or branding opportunity, but as a strategic imperative. From energy and transport planning to food sourcing and waste management, these organisations are working hard to ensure that their events are responsible, resilient, and regenerative.

There was also an honest recognition of the challenges — the compromises, the operational constraints, and the need to bring colleagues and stakeholders along on the journey. But above all, there was a shared ethos: to do everything possible to reduce negative environmental impacts, while delivering exceptional experiences for fans, guests, and partners alike.”