The Value of Sport

“If we didn’t have sport, we’d be spending billions to create it”.

Ever since Vicsport Chair Jason Hellwig posed this thought starter in his welcome speech at this year’s Victorian Sport Awards, I’ve had the same thought running around my head. 

Imagine a new service was proposed; it promised to improve physical and mental health, build social bonds, create safer and more cohesive communities, support youth development, reduce healthcare costs, elevate gender and cultural equity, generate jobs, and stimulate local economies.

It also had a workforce of millions, was spread in locations across the State, available in every suburb and small town, and was of interest to almost everyone, a common ground across generations.

Well, as we all know we already have it.

It's called sport.

The Evidence of Value

As the latest AusPlay data shows, in the previous 12 months, 85% of Australians aged 15+ participated in some type of sport or physical activity at least once.

This equates to around 18,662,000 people, providing evidence sport remains one of the most powerful, affordable and accessible ways to improve lives across Victoria. And that gives a powerful opportunity to us all.

The Value of Sport: More Than Just Sport

Sport and active recreation reaches deep into every Victorian community. We know this from the PASI Sport Participation Research project research, which tells us around 1 million Victorians regularly play in our organised sports, across thousands of local clubs and facilities.

This scale spans every age, ability, and background, providing daily access to movement, meaning, and connection. And most importantly it provides value in our lives in aspects that really matter.

The Sport Prescription

It has long been known that sport provides enormous health benefits. Recent studies have shown that every dollar invested in community sport delivers returns in preventative health that are rarely matched by other interventions. The benefits of regular sport participation translating into lower healthcare costs are also well documented, by reducing chronic disease, and improved mental health.

Research tells us that Club-based participation also improves self-esteem, social support, and life satisfaction. It’s associated with better mental health in both adults and adolescents, and critically, sport participation has been linked to lower rates of suicide ideation and attempts among youth - a vital response in a time of rising distress.

- Social Bonds & Safer Communities

Our sports build more than skills - they build social capital. We’ve seen participation studies show us that sport leads to stronger peer relationships, and greater social connectedness, and research has shown sport also correlates with lower crime rates, particularly for young men.

- Gender & Cultural Equity

In recent times, sport has become a key platform to progress equity. While research provided by the likes of PASI and Aus Play shows that participation gaps still exist, especially for women, girls, CALD communities and people with disability, sports that have adapted with inclusive formats, diverse leadership, and accessible pathways are now seeing real growth in participation and leadership.

- Jobs & Economic Growth

We know that sport isn’t just playing games - it’s also a serious industry. Reports tell us that nationally, sport and physical activity contribute over $50 billion annually to the economy which includes direct employment, tourism, events, facility operations, retail and hospitality.

- Making Lives Better

Finally, Australians are increasingly recognising the value of sport. The most recent Community Perceptions Monitor’s Value & Benefits of Sport[1] index keeps rising, with gains across groups including women and non-metro communities, signalling a broader, more inclusive sense of benefit.

People continue to link sport with health and social capital – 86% of people say sport is good for health, a great way to meet people (73%), and a place to feel belonging (68%). The message from the nation is clear: sport delivers belonging, identity and wellbeing – so it is critical that it exists.

Realising The Value of Sport

Vicsport is here to represent and support our members to ensure all Victorians can enjoy the enormous benefits that sport and active recreation can provide. And ‘the value of sport’ is not a new discovery, it’s been a belief held by many, for a long time.

But, what’s next?

“The argument still needs to be made. I think we're quite good at the first 10 words we can all say. Yes, sports is powerful. It can be the answer to so many of society's problems. The next 10 words are so critical. If we did this within health, if we did this within education, if we did this within justice, these are the ways in which you can see the benefit, and we haven't got to that point as well as we should”[2].

– Tim Hollingsworth – Former CEO Sport England

And so…as a peak body, and as a sector, we have a collective responsibility and opportunity to tell this story more powerfully.

And in my new role as Manager of Strategic Projects, together with our team and our Board, we are driven to explore the value of sport in the coming months, because if we want to keep delivering all that sport offers, we must rethink how we plan, promote, and, protect it. Ultimately showing this value will be a collective effort, with many small steps building the momentum.

If you’d like to talk to us more about the value of your sport, please get in contact.

Andrew O’Loughlin
Manager – Strategic Projects
Vicsport
andrewo@vicsport.com.au