Fossil fuel companies provide just 3.5% of sport sponsorship dollars, meaning they have more to lose than athletes

A report released today has put a dollar value on the amount of fossil fuel sponsorship in sport.

The estimated $14 million to $18 million enjoyed annually across 14 “top-tier” Australian sports accounts for only 3.5% of all sponsorship deals. And although sport might not miss fossil fuels, the report by the Australian Conservation Foundation and Swinburne University finds fossil fuels will certainly miss sport.

Report author Professor Emma Sherry said the accumulative value of coal, gas and oil sponsorships are “not enormous enough” to justify holding on to. By the books, it’s money that’s easy to replace: “It won’t be hard for sporting bodies to move beyond fossil fuel sponsorship.