Climate Activists Protest Big Oil Sponsorships of Pro Sports Teams

Activists call out 'sportswashing' deals between fossil fuel companies and beloved sports franchises across the U.S.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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Climate activists are staging protests across the U.S. targeting pro sports teams' sponsorship deals with major oil companies like BP, Phillips 66, Shell, and others. The activists argue these partnerships amount to 'sportswashing' - using fans' love of their teams to distract from the lethal environmental impact of fossil fuels. Simultaneous actions took place in 10 cities, including at stadiums and arenas of teams like the Dodgers, Giants, Kings, Timbers, Cardinals, World Cup, Guardians, Eagles, Mets, and Celtics.

Why it matters

The activists say these sponsorship deals allow fossil fuel companies to greenwash their public image and obscure the devastating climate impacts of their products. They argue that pro sports teams should not be partnering with the very industries driving the climate crisis, especially in regions like California that have suffered from worsening wildfires and other extreme weather events linked to global warming.

The details

The protests were organized by a coalition of environmental groups including the Sierra Club, Scientific Rebellion, Stop the Money Pipeline, and others. In Sacramento, activists gathered at the Golden 1 Center to call on the Kings to end their sponsorship deals with Shell and BP's AM/PM brand. They cited the devastating 2018 Paradise wildfire, which displaced over 50,000 people and caused nearly $17 billion in damage, as an example of the climate impacts these fossil fuel companies are driving.

  • The nationwide protests took place on February 17, 2026.
  • The 2018 Paradise wildfire that displaced 50,000 people occurred several years prior.

The players

Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, whose stadium was the site of one of the protests against the team's sponsorship deal with Phillips 66.

Sacramento Kings

The NBA team whose arena, the Golden 1 Center, was the site of a protest against the team's sponsorship deals with Shell and BP's AM/PM brand.

Bill McKibben

An author, environmentalist, journalist, and co-founder of the activist group Third Act, which participated in the protests.

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What they’re saying

“We are asking the Kings' owner and executives to immediately end the team's sponsorship deals with Shell, one of the world's largest oil companies, and AM/PM.”

— Sally Richman, Third Act Sacramento member (Press statement)

“Sportswashing occurs when a company that has harmed the public creates a financial partnership with beloved sports teams, and markets their brand to the fans to create positive associations that are undeserved. The Sacramento Kings are allowing BP America and Shell to pretend they are 'good guys' by their sponsorships of the team.”

— Sally Richman, Third Act Sacramento member (Letter to Kings management)

What’s next

The activists say they will continue to pressure the pro sports teams to drop their sponsorship deals with major oil companies, arguing the partnerships amount to 'sportswashing' that obscures the climate impacts of fossil fuels.

The takeaway

This protest movement highlights the growing tension between the sports industry's lucrative sponsorship deals with fossil fuel companies and the urgent need to address the climate crisis. Activists are challenging teams to align their partnerships with sustainability and climate action rather than allowing themselves to be used for corporate greenwashing.