Officials with the Cleveland Monsters announced on Tuesday, March 24, the team’s launch of its sustainability initiative, Project Lake Blue. The initiative is designed to protect and celebrate Northeast Ohio’s freshwater resources—the same water that provides the foundation for a hockey rink.

The Cleveland Monsters."Freshwater is the literal foundation of the sport of hockey,” says Cleveland Monsters Chief Marketing Officer Ben Adams. “It shapes our game and it shapes life here in Northeast Ohio.”

The Monsters, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, will focus on three areas through Project Lake Blue: education, action, and stewardship. Using the team’s platform, the Monsters will emphasize the importance of fresh water—and hockey—in Northeast Ohio.

Reflecting on water and ice
The organization’s leaders say the water theme will bring fans and the players together to build a culture that values and protects Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River as essential components of Northeast Ohio’s future.

“Project Lake Blue is a natural extension of who we are as a team and where we play,” says Adams, adding that “lake blue” is one of the Monsters’ official team colors. “[It’s] a reflection of the resource that defines our region. Lake Blue isn’t just one of our colors—it represents the fresh water that shapes this region, our community, and the game of hockey.”

Fresh Water Institute fellows advance freshwater research, innovation and sustainability.Project Lake Blue is anchored by strategic partnerships with organizations working at the forefront of freshwater and ocean conservation.

The Cleveland-based Fresh Water Institute was established by Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and other officials in 2024 to catalyze the region’s culture of freshwater stewardship and position Northeast Ohio as a global leader in water innovation.

"This is a natural extension of Rock Entertainment Group's commitment to sustainability, where we focus on responsible resource management, waste diversion, and education and engagement on environmental stewardship,” explains Danielle Doza, Rock Entertainment Group vice president of sustainability and environmental services.

“This initiative allows us to connect our brand to something bigger,” says Adams, “and to engage our fans in protecting the resource that defines Northeast Ohio.”

A ripple effect
The Monsters are also a part of Ocean Conservancy’s Protect Where We Play initiative, a coalition of sports and entertainment organizations and fans working to protect the world’s water systems—from oceans to inland freshwater resources like the Great Lakes.

“The Fresh Water Institute is proud to partner with the Cleveland Monsters to celebrate our region’s freshwater resources and to amplify the important efforts local organizations are leading to restore and protect our waterways,” said Fresh Water Institute director Emily Bacha in a statement. “Project Lake Blue provides an exciting platform to educate and engage fans as we collectively grow our region’s culture of freshwater stewardship.”

Project Lake Blue builds on the sustainability efforts of REGreen at Rocket Arena—focusing on waste minimization and diversion, responsible resource management, fan education, and engagement of environmental stewardship.

Cleveland Monsters fans cheer on the team. “Project Lake Blue advocates for our life-giving water systems through education, action, and stewardship,” Doza says. “We are engaging fans and the community with a natural resource we all depend on—for recreation, the economy, and our drinking water."

Timed around World Water Day this past Sunday, March 22, the Monsters released its Project Lake Blue PSA video on Tuesday, March 24.

The team will debut the initiative during Project Lake Blue Night, presented by Wild Republic, tomorrow, Thursday, March 26, at 7 p.m. at Rocket Arena when the Monsters take on the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Tickets are still available for the sustainability-focused theme night, which will bring the initiative to life through a series of fan-facing activations, partner activations, and in-game storytelling.

Fans can also join the Cleveland Monsters organization on Wednesday, April 8, on a volunteer action day hosted by the Monsters and Eriesponsible, an organization dedicated to Lake Erie education, awareness, and clean-up. Advance registration is requested.