Nike donates soccer fields across U.S.

To celebrate the global spirit of Joga Bonito (Portuguese for “Play Beautiful”), Nike annouced a commitment valued at $1 million to fuel U.S. soccer in 15 communities throughout the U.S. Nike will donate three Joga Bonito soccer fields in Los Angeles, three fields in New York and four fields in Chicago as well as provide soccer equipment for 12 additional cities. Each of the 10 fields is made from FieldTurf synthetic grass, and is designed to introduce the Brazilian futsal-style of small-field soccer that emphasizes ball control and foot skills to youth recreation and club teams.

The Los Angeles field dedication is the first of 10 fields Nike will donate in the U.S. Nike partnered with local organizations in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago to install the fields in local communities over the next few months. In Los Angeles, specifically, the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles (AAF) partnered with Nike to provide funding for the fields.

Each Joga Bonito field donation is part of the NikeGO Places program which takes worn-out athletic shoes and/or footwear manufacturing materials, grinds them up into a material called Nike Grind, and uses that in creating new sports and play surfaces. The Joga Bonito fields will incorporate approximately 20 to 25 percent Nike Grind Rubber. A total of 16,000 pounds of Nike Grind Rubber in the Los Angeles fields alone represents how the remains from manufacturing over 60,000 pairs of sports shoes can be used to benefit both the environment and the youth in underserved communities.

Nike will also make soccer equipment donations to 12 additional cities including: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Newark, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. Each equipment donation includes soccer balls, soccer t-shirts and a Joga Bonito tool kit that teaches Nike’s 3-on-3 version of futsal, called Joga3.

“The Joga Bonito fields project is an expression of our belief in the power of sport to create change in the lives of young people,” said Joaquin Hidalgo, Vice President of U.S. Marketing for Nike. “By bringing world-class pitches to areas otherwise underserved, our goal is to create greater access and opportunity for youth in these communities to play soccer beautifully and enjoy the physical, social and emotional benefits of a physically active lifestyle.”

“With the games in Germany right around the corner, this is an exiting time for U.S. Soccer. I’m happy that Nike is continuing to make such a major commitment to fueling the game in America with the donation of these 10 Joga Bonito soccer fields,” said Landon Donovan, starting forward for the U.S. National Soccer team. “I’m glad I could be a part of today’s field dedication and know the kids will pass on the Joga Bonito or ‘Play Beautiful’ spirit that Nike intended.”