National survey measures full financial burden of community sport in Australia

The cost of playing community sports in Australia is far higher than previously understood, with a new national study led by Federation University finding families spend an average of $4,567 per child each year to keep their children playing sports.

The research, conducted in partnership with the Australian Sports Commission, is the most comprehensive investigation of community sports participation costs undertaken in Australia, surveying more than 5,500 sports participants across the country.

The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.

Lead researcher Professor Rochelle Eime said previous estimates focused mainly on registration fees, overlooking many of the additional costs associated with participating in community sports.

“Our findings show the real cost of participation is much greater than most people realize,” Eime said.

“When we include expenses such as equipment, uniforms, coaching, travel, competition costs and even lost parental income due to sports commitments, the financial burden on families becomes clear.”

Eime said the findings are important because community sports play a critical role in strengthening health, well-being and social connectedness.

“Community sport is about much more than competition. It’s about friendships, belonging, connection and creating stronger communities,” she said.

“We know the physical, mental and social benefits of sport are significant, particularly for children and young people, so it’s important that rising costs don’t prevent people from participating.”

The study found even the minimum entry-level cost of playing sports is substantial, averaging $1,161 for children and $1,200 for adults, including registration fees, uniforms and equipment. Adult participants reported spending an average of $2,894 annually to participate in community sports.

Popular team sports such as football (soccer) ($5,622), basketball ($6,369) and Australian Rules football ($3,896) fell between lower-cost sports, including softball ($1,643) and athletics ($1,970), and higher-cost individual sports, including BMX/mountain biking ($11,689) and equestrian ($13,947) for children.

The study showed 67% of participants said cost was a limiting factor in their decision to participate, rising to 78% among children. Eime said this is likely an underestimation because only current players completed the survey.

“Cost is no longer a minor consideration. It’s a major factor influencing whether Australians can participate in community sport,” she said.

“The cost of participation varied considerably across sports, and it is likely that, with cost-of-living pressures, individuals and families will choose certain sports based on the cost to play rather than personal choice.”

“The people most affected are often those who already face barriers to participation: people with disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.”

While overall participation costs were similar between metropolitan and regional areas, the composition of those costs differed significantly. Children living in regional and remote Australia spent an average of $790 a year on travel and $714 on accommodations associated with sports participation, compared with $428 and $368, respectively, for children living in major cities.

Eime said the findings also highlighted practical ways clubs and sporting organizations could help make sports more affordable.

“We need to think creatively about how we make sport more affordable and more focused on getting and keeping people involved,” she said.

“Initiatives such as club-based uniform programs, equipment exchange schemes and partnerships that recycle and repurpose sporting gear can help reduce costs for families while keeping more people connected through sport.”

The researchers said the findings provided important evidence for governments, sporting organizations and policymakers seeking to maintain participation levels amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

“Understanding the true costs of participation is essential for developing effective policies, funding programs and support mechanisms that keep community sport accessible for all Australians,” Eime said.

The study surveyed 5,533 participants from across Australia, representing 67 sports among children and 77 sports among adults.

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