Leith and Campaign for Better Transport have teamed up to create a new Premier League trophy.
The Black Boot will be awarded for ‘outstanding contributions to football’s carbon footprint’, and comes after Premier League clubs were found to have flown to hundreds of domestic away games.
A study in 2023 found that Premier League clubs took 80% of their journeys by plane. The average time of these flights was 42 minutes, with the shortest just 27 minutes.
Domestic flights create 246g of CO2 per passenger and cause seven times more emissions than rail travel. But with many of these journeys easily substituted by train or coach travel, the campaign is looking for clubs to change their travel habits.
Throughout the season, the worst offenders will be called out on both Black Boot’s X account and website, with Player of the Season, Man of the Match and Team of the Month awards up for grabs. Fans are being asked to keep an eye out for players’ and clubs’ social feeds, and let Black Boot know whenever they spot something.
Michael Solomon Williams from Campaign For Better Transport said: “Domestic flights are simply bad news for the planet, especially when the same journey could be taken by train or coach. Changing the way we travel is one of the most effective things we can do to reduce carbon emissions. Football clubs should be leading the way and playing a bigger role in our fight against climate change.”
Leith senior creative, Samuel Muir added: “The majority of club’s domestic flights are completely unnecessary. Black Boot aims to highlight their carbon footprint, shame them into taking action and kicking their flight habit.”
To learn more about the campaign and keep updated, search @BlackBootTrophy on X and visit www.blackboot.net
