New Canvas Stadium and Moby Arena rules allow some reusable bottles after student-led research highlights plastic waste
By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A Colorado State University MBA student’s effort to reduce plastic waste has helped change what fans can bring into two of the university’s largest sports venues.
Beginning with the Fall 2026 sports season, fans may bring empty, transparent plastic water bottles of 1 liter or less into Canvas Stadium and Moby Arena. Metal bottles, cans, and glass bottles remain prohibited.
The change stemmed from an experience Fred Sager had while attending a CSU volleyball game in 2025. Sager, an Impact MBA student in CSU’s College of Business and president of the Sustainable Business Club, arrived at Moby Arena carrying an empty reusable Nalgene bottle, only to be told it could not be brought inside.
Rather than leave the issue there, Sager began researching how other universities and event venues handled reusable bottles. He examined policies at more than 25 universities, including the University of Colorado Boulder, Florida State University, and the University of Oregon, as well as venues including Red Rocks and Ball Arena.
Sager also worked with CSU’s Eco Leaders Program to measure the amount of disposable bottle waste generated at sporting events.
During the Nov. 8, 2025, CSU football game against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, volunteers monitored trash cans throughout the stadium and counted 406 discarded plastic bottles. Based on that audit, the group estimated roughly 3,200 disposable water bottles were being thrown away during a season of CSU home football games.
The findings were presented to the Associated Students of Colorado State University. In December 2025, the ASCSU Senate unanimously approved a resolution supporting a policy change allowing reusable plastic bottles at Canvas Stadium.
CSU Athletics subsequently conducted its own review of policies at other stadiums and universities.
“After conducting our own review of local stadium and peer institutions’ policies, we determined it was time to make a change to our water bottle policy,” said Matthew Selje, CSU assistant athletic director for facilities and game management.
Athletics officials worked with CSU Police and event staff to consider safety and fan experience before testing the change during summer events.
The resulting policy permits transparent, empty plastic bottles up to 1 liter. Metal bottles and tumblers, including Hydro Flask and Stanley models, remain prohibited. Water-filling stations are available inside the venues.
Sager said the change demonstrates how a relatively small policy adjustment can have a measurable environmental effect.
“It may seem like a relatively small change, but it’s really rewarding to know that because of this change we’re keeping thousands of water bottles from entering landfills,” Sager said.
Sager is scheduled to graduate in December and hopes to pursue sustainability work involving venues and events.
Learn more about CSU sustainability programs at https://housing.colostate.edu/about/sustainability/eco-leaders-program/.