There is often a lot of opinion and debate within sport about where efforts should be focused to grow participation, and ultimately about what should be measured.
Each sport will rightly have a unique view, depending on where they are and where they want to be.
Some will seek a strong recruitment phase to drive new participants and replenish numbers.
Others may be seeking a period of consolidation as they focus on the experiences of those already in their sport.
Which ever the case, there are really only two groups of people that make up total participation and where your attention should and can be given.
Appreciating there are differences in individual and team based sports, for ease, let’s call the two groups “Players” and “Participants”.
“Players” are those people who willingly register and pay to play your sport in a competition or program, eg. entry level programs, club competitions, individual registration or membership.
“Participants” are those people who sample or participate in free programs or experiences, eg. school sampling programs, come and try days, public events.
It’s important to understand what percentage of your focus and investment will go where.
Common measures of success can be measuring “Player growth”, “Player retention”, or “Participant growth”. A combination of all three is the best strategy as it provides a full customer acquisition and retention strategy.
Further segmentation of “Player” and “Participant” targets provide a more detailed and surgical strategic focus and outcome, and is normal in some established sport participation strategies.
Getting the balance right between investing in retention strategies and recruitment strategies will determine how fast your sport will grow.
Just remember both groups play an important role in the health and growth of your sport.
Have a great day!
Ivan Spyrdz
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By the way, I’ve released an e-book called “GROWING YOUR GAME – How to buck the trend of declining participation in traditional sport”. This e-book provides insights and options on how to evolve the way your sport is viewed, enjoyed and loved by all Australians. If you want to grow participation and results in your sport, I invite you to grab a copy by downloading it free here.
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