The cost of organised sport : increasing sport participation in NSW

A national survey in 2015 of 1,200 people in Australia found that 61.2% of respondents never play any organised sport (Rowe 2017). Indeed, Australians are more likely to watch live sport through the media, with over 11 million Australians watching sport online (Nielson, 2017). While the benefits of sport participation can extend beyond physical health to include mental health, personal wellbeing, and social cohesion (Bull et. Al., 2014; Richards, 2016), falling participation rates are thought to contribute to the rise in chronic lifestyle-related diseases in the Australian population such as type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Stephenson et. Al., 2000; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016). Cost has been found to be a major barrier to participating in organised sport in Australia (Commonwealth of Australia, 2007; Charlton et. Al., 2010; Hardy et. al., 2010; VicHealth, 2010; Vella, Cliff and Okely, 2014; Australian Sports Commission, 2016). However, there has been little empirical evidence published that identifies the actual cost to participate in different organised sports or that explicitly identifies cost limitations impeding sport participation. This research study aims to address this gap.