The Sports Club Survey 2013 is the largest ever survey of sports clubs in the UK.
Nearly 3,000 sports clubs across more than 100 different sports took part to give us a full look at the health of the UK’s grassroots community clubs.
As in previous Sports Club Surveys, the data has been weighted to represent the estimated 151,000 sports clubs thought to be in existence across the UK.
Download the Sports Club Survey.
Key findings
Growth:
Between 2010 and 2012 there has been a 67% increase in the average club’s surplus, which is now £1,825. But, this is still 39% lower than it was in 2007.
The average club now has 114 adult members – an increase of 21% since 2011.
Social fabric:
More than half (58%) of the UK’s sports clubs are currently working with schools and nine in ten school-club links are reported as being successful.
The average sports club has 33 non-participating members indicating that sports clubs don’t just offer opportunities to play sport but a social environment for the community to be part of.
Legacy:
Participating adult memberships have increased by 21% since 2011 but are still below the peak of 2008. Only one in ten clubs (13%) say they have had a sustained membership increase following London 2012.
Facilities:
Only one in five (21%) sports clubs in the UK own their own facilities. Two in five (38%) hire from local authorities.
49% of clubs want to improve their facilities and 47% see increasing facility costs as upcoming challenges.
Only one in three (35%) UK sports clubs has access to appropriate equipment for both disabled and non-disabled people to participate and in the last year, the decision was taken by 26% of clubs to decrease expenditure by not renewing equipment.
Volunteers:
Sport has more volunteers than any other sector and since 2011 the number of volunteers giving their time to sports club has gone up 20% – with the average club now having 24.