The National Basketball Association is collaborating with the World Surf League to make history by launching the "Nets for Change" initiative, aiming to reuse underwater fishing nets for use on basketball courts in São Paulo.
The "Nets for Change" initiative began in February 2024 in India, to focus on supporting local communities and promoting participation in sports, mitigating the environmental threat posed by abandoned fishing nets, and promoting cleaner oceans.
"This collaboration with the NBA provides us with an incredible opportunity to combat one of the greatest threats to our oceans: abandoned fishing nets, also known as 'ghost nets,'" WSL President in Latin America Ivan Martinho said in a press release.
"This initiative originated from our collaborative efforts with NGOs and fishing communities to recover these materials and repurpose them into basketball hoop nets."
An estimated 10% of marine litter is made up of abandoned fishing nets or "ghost gear," according to the World Wildlife Fund. This roughly translates to between about 500,000 and 1 million tons of fishing gear abandoned in the ocean each year.
The gear is known to be a cause of death to marine life through suffocation. It also can damage marine habitats like coral reefs and mangroves — contributing to the growing loss of biodiversity within marine ecosystems.
The NBA's move to repurpose old fishing nets is a big step in sustaining the environment of marine life.
Promoting access to sport is another feature of the partnership, enabling Brazilians to be more active.
"This effort with the WSL reinforces the NBA's commitment to environmental conservation and community empowerment," said Arnon de Mello, managing director for the NBA Latin America and Canada. "Nets for Change will not only help clean up the Brazilian coastline, but also revitalize local community basketball courts and provide greater access to the game."
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Definitely 👍 According to CNN, citing the WSL, since May 2024, one ton of abandoned fishing nets have been collected along the Brazilian coast.
CNN reported that these will be repurposed into basketball nets in São Paulo as well as the NBA Station court in Parque Villa-Lobos, the Cleveland Cavaliers' refurbished court in Beco do Nego, and community courts in Ferraz de Vasconcelos and Valinhos.
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