Amid criticism of clubs flying to matches, six teams in the English Football League have pledged to travel to matches in a more environmentally friendly way.
Championship side Millwall have been joined by Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Forest Green Rovers, Mansfield Town and Swindon Town in adopting a ‘no fly’ policy.
The Sustainable Travel Charter was launched to help teams reduce their impact on the environment.
Earlier this year, a BBC Sport investigation found evidence of 81 separate short-haul domestic flights by Premier League teams to and from 100 games during a two-month sample period.
In January, Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper defended his club after being criticized for flying to and from Blackpool for the FA Cup draw.
The club took a 20-minute flight to Lancashire, about 135 miles away, to avoid a 2-hour, 45-minute trip.
Wrexham took 16 domestic flights last season during their National League promotion campaign.
The charter was created by a working group made up of charity Pledgeball, the Football Supporters’ Association and six clubs, and aims to help teams make more sustainable choices. This includes instructing clubs to “at least reduce the number of flights” to matches.
Pledgeball CEO Katie Cross said: “Football clubs’ reliance on short-haul flights poses a challenge to their wider sustainability strategy. This Charter aims to address the issue. , we aim to help clubs incorporate more sustainable travel practices.” Join their cause and lead by example to show fans and the public that climate action means walking the talk. ”
Mark Fairbrother, Millwall’s chief financial officer, said: “Sustainability is a big focus of how Millwall Football Club operates and we are already making significant progress in reducing waste and other environmentally friendly initiatives. ” he said.