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Sport has emerged as a powerful platform for promoting environmental awareness and action. Major collegiate and professional teams have implemented sustainability strategies, although some have hesitated to promote them out of concern for political polarization and fan alienation. This study aimed to examine differences in environmental attitudes among fans of two professional sport organizations competing in the same venue but in different sports.

Survey data were collected from 2,652 season ticket holders of the two organizations. The survey included measures of environmental awareness, perceived behavioral control, ascriptions of responsibility, awareness of team initiatives and green team fandom. Participants’ environmentalist status (active, passive or non-environmentalist) was also assessed. Analysis of variance was used to examine differences in environmental attitudes based on sport affiliation and environmentalist status.

Significant but small differences in environmental awareness and awareness of team initiatives based on sport affiliation were found. However, environmentalist status had a significant effect on environmental awareness, perceived behavioral control, ascriptions of responsibility and green team fandom, with active environmentalists scoring highest, followed by passive environmentalists and non-environmentalists. Surprisingly, fans’ environmentalist status did not significantly impact their awareness of team sustainability initiatives. Non-environmentalists, a substantial portion of the sample, did not express particularly negative attitudes toward sustainability.

This study extends previous research by examining fan attitudes toward environmental sustainability. It challenges the assumption that promoting sustainability initiatives may alienate fans, particularly non-environmentalists, and highlights the potential for sport organizations to leverage their unifying power to promote environmental action among diverse fanbases.

This qualitative investigation is one of a series of sub-investigations under an umbrella project to develop Lampang Creative Livable Tourist City. The aim of this paper is to explore the integration of sustainable tourism into the development of Lampang, a city in northern Thailand. By collaborating with government and private agencies, academics, community leaders and the people of Lampang to reskill and upskill core community groups in the city, the researchers hope to enhance active citizenship, develop relevant skills and foster leadership networks that boost Lampang’s appeal as a sustainable tourism destination.

Data were gathered from brainstorming meetings, focus group discussions, observations and in-depth interviews. After identifying key characteristics required for creative citizens of Lampang city, the researchers developed and implemented pilot curricula with five target groups. Activities were developed to nurture creative leaders and promote innovative use of traditional culture and lifestyle.

The findings revealed that targeted local curricula can harness the cultural capital of the local community and equip locals with a modern toolkit to lay the foundations for a creative, livable tourist city.

This study’s originality lies in its grassroots approach to defining creative citizenship. It captures local community perspectives on what constitutes a creative citizen. Moreover, this research demonstrates how custom-designed educational initiatives can effectively nurture a creative and resilient urban ecosystem. This offers a blueprint for culturally informed urban regeneration, highlighting the role of sustainable tourism in enhancing the city’s attractiveness and livability for both residents and visitors.