As music consumers increasingly demand sustainable options from businesses across the industry, AEG has struck a partnership that will bring a full-time reusable cup program to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena and Peacock Theater, the company announced Tuesday (June 4).
In collaboration with reusable serveware company r.World, which produces reusable items for large-scale gatherings, the venues will replace single-use cups with reusable r.Cups at all food and beverage destinations within the facilities. The program will make Crypto.com Arena the first Southern California arena to have a full-time reuse program.
The new system is being launched in partnership with the venues’ hospitality partner, Levy. Both venues are operated by AEG and located on the L.A. Live campus in downtown Los Angeles. The Crypto.com Arena holds roughly 20,000 attendees, while the Peacock Theater holds approximately 7,000. The arena piloted the program during a pair of shows by Depeche Mode in December 2023 at the band’s request.
The r.Cup program will be integrated into both venues during select eventsl beginning with the Aug. 15 WNBA game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the New York Liberty at Crypto.com Arena. The program will kick off at the Peacock Theater the following day during a performance by Young Miko. The full-time launch of the program at both venues will begin on Oct. 1, 2024.
r.Cup has already been integrated into 84 venues and 275 standalone events in the United States, including ten other AEG properties and myriad Goldenvoice festivals. AEG reports avoiding the use of more than 3.5 million single-use cups since starting its partnership with r.World in November 2021. In a statement, r.World founder/CEO Michael Martin said AEG’s “commitment to sustainability innovations like reuse is a gamechanger and will play an important role in accelerating the impact and awareness of the reuse movement.”
“Waste minimization and ultimately waste avoidance is core to AEG’s sustainability program,” adds AEG’s vp of sustainability Erik Distler. “Through our partnership with r.World in the U.S. and reuse initiatives in-place in the UK and Germany, AEG is demonstrating its commitment to supporting and advancing the reuse economy. This announcement at L.A. LIVE catapults these efforts and sets a leading example of environmental responsibility in the industry.”
