SAN ANTONIO, TX (September, 2024) - The San Antonio Local Organizing Committee (SALOC), who is tasked with overseeing city-level planning for the 2025 Men’s Final Four, is proud to announce the formation of their 2025 SALOC Sustainability Committee.  

Elena Wells, Executive Director at SALOC, believes that the organization’s commitment to sustainability is at the forefront of this year’s planning. “As we prepare to welcome fans from across the nation to the 2025 Men's Final Four in San Antonio, the establishment of a dedicated sustainability committee ensures that every aspect of this historic event will be approached with an eye toward minimizing our environmental impact and maximizing our community's long-term well-being,” said Wells. “Our goal is to set a new standard for how major sporting events can positively contribute to the planet and leave a lasting legacy for future generations." 

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The Sustainability Committee’s aim will be to develop a scalable, repeatable, and measurable playbook for events to be used across future NCAA events, ensuring lasting impact. The committee's goals include reducing the event's environmental footprint by managing carbon and energy emissions, cutting water use while replenishing resources and promoting water-positive efforts, increasing the use of recycled and reused materials, and preserving habitats to enhance local plant and animal diversity. 

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The committee is led by Chair Brad Tipper of Grassroots Carbon, alongside key members including  Leslie Antunez (City of San Antonio), Alex Atkins (Mission Compost), Kim von Bertrab (Grassroots Carbon), Janis Bush (University of Texas at San Antonio), Lars Dyrud (Earth Optics), Beth Robertson Martin (Earth Optics), Lani May (University of Texas at San Antonio, CSO), Douglas Melnick (City of San Antonio), Liza Meyer (USAA), Dr. Ben Miele (University of the Incarnate Word), Shanon Miller (San Antonio Reuse), Chaitan Mugili (Marriott), Brenda Morales (City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management/ReWorksSA), Deirdre Murphy (San Antonio Sports), Kirby Paulson (University of Texas at San Antonio), Emma Peacock (Mission Compost), Brad Smith (University of Texas at San Antonio) and Suzanne Scott (The Nature Conservancy). 

 

“The Sustainability Committee is poised to work through strong partnerships with SALOC, corporate partners, municipalities, and non-profit organizations to deliver the greenest Men's Final Four event yet,” said Brad Tipper, Chief Executive Officer of Grassroots Carbon and Chair of the 2025 SALOC Sustainability Committee. “Together, we are committed to building a sustainability framework in San Antonio with an impact that endures and scales long after the final buzzer and confetti falls in the Alamodome on April 7th,” said Tipper.  

Leading up to the National Championship, the Sustainability Committee will enhance SALOC’s impact through a variety of initiatives. These include educational programs, interactive fan experiences, and volunteer efforts at local program sites. The committee will also support community projects that will create a lasting positive impact for residents of San Antonio and Bexar County. 

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For more information on the Sustainability Committee’s initiatives and how to get involved with the 2025 Men’s Final Four initiatives and events, please visit www.finalfoursanantonio.com or contact Stephanie Guerra at sguerra@sanantoniosports.org.  

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About San Antonio Local Organizing Committee:  

The San Antonio Local Organizing Committee (SALOC) is a nonprofit dedicated to bidding on and hosting major events that bring out-of-town visitors and drive economic impact to San Antonio.  SALOC is a partnership between San Antonio Sports, Visit San Antonio, the City of San Antonio, University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of the Incarnate Word.  SALOC oversees marketing, operations, and community relations for all ancillary events and initiatives associated with the 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four. SALOC’s mission is to leverage the excitement of March Madness to foster community engagement, promote educational initiatives, and highlight the vibrant culture of San Antonio. 

 

About the NCAA 
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, GEICO, Great Clips, Intuit TurboTax, Invesco QQQ, LG, Marriott Bonvoy, Nabisco, Nissan, Pizza Hut, Reese’s, The Home Depot, Unilever and Wendy’s. 

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About Grassroots Carbon  

Based in San Antonio, Texas, Grassroots Carbon is the leading grasslands restoration and soil carbon storage company that empowers ranchers to implement regenerative land management practices. In addition to enhancing soil health, promoting biodiversity, and improving water quality, these regenerative practices have tremendous potential to combat climate change by drawing down large quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide into the soil. Built on a foundation of scientific rigor, quality, and trust, Grassroots Carbon works with leading companies including Microsoft, Shopify, Shell, Marathon Oil and HEB to reduce their carbon impact and reach their sustainability goals. https://grassrootscarbon.com/