By Alesha Capone
Sports clubs across the nation will require funding of more than $1.2 billion to help them survive the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey.
The non-profit Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) five-week survey received more than 4330 responses from clubs involved in sports such as football, netball and cricket.
The survey found that Australia’s 70,000 local sports clubs have already lost an estimated $1.6 billion due to the coronavirus.
It found more than 16,000 community sports clubs could be at risk of closure, if they do not receive funding support within the next six months.
Up to 80 per cent of clubs’ main sources of revenue, such as sponsorships and memberships, have ceased or declined due to the pandemic.
ASF chief executive Patrick Walker said: “To solve a problem of this scale requires a collaborative approach, so we are calling on all who care about the role of sport in creating healthy, inclusive communities to help us fund grassroots sport’s recovery.”
Wyndham council last month announced that it would waive fees for clubs which use outdoor council-run facilities during this year’s winter season.
The council will also offset some of the costs that sporting clubs operating out of AquaPulse and Eagle Stadium might incur, to meet government regulations regarding lane and court hire.
Mayor Josh Gilligan the council had not charged sporting clubs any fees since facilities closed earlier this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Through this support council has absorbed close to $600,000 in sporting club hire and licence fees, delivering funding support to local sporting clubs when they need it most,” Cr Gilligan said.
Wyndham’s sports development portfolio holder, Cr Peter Maynard, said these measures would give Wyndham’s sporting clubs the financial reprieve they need to help them get back on the field, court or pool, once they were able to.
“These clubs are the backbone of our community and for many they provide the social cohesion and community spirit that we as residents want and desire – that’s why we’re working with them to help them get through this pandemic,” Cr Maynard said.
