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The Australian Sports Professionals Association (ASPA) has released the results of its second annual National Sports Census with results showing that through the most turbulent year in Australian sport, industry professionals felt more negatively about the direction of the industry in comparison to 2019.

Undertaken from July 2020, ASPA’s second National Sports Census was designed to help capture a national perspective of the Australian sports industry, informed by those who are actively engaged in it - volunteers, employees and academics in all levels of the industry across organisations, clubs, state or national sporting organisations, non-profit bodies and private enterprise.

The 2020 National Sports Census saw a 320% increase in respondents from 2019, encompassing individuals from more than 52 types of sports, universities and government agencies and private companies.

Despite the negative sentiments about the direction of the industry, respondents expressed their personal preparedness and that of their organisations to tackle challenges arising from critical areas.

Similar to 2019, funding and grassroots participation were indisputably the most recurring themes identified by respondents as critical areas to work on. However, responses in 2020 focused much more specifically on the importance of overhauling archaic revenue models, business processes, and operations.

The concern over nepotism and politics was more prevalent, with calls to reimagine funding and strategies built around long-term KPIs rather than short-term, unstainable success. Much of this centred around streamlining processes and reducing complexity and ‘red tape’, as well as providing efficient upskilling opportunities to ensure staff and volunteers were empowered to deliver results without burning out.

To support members through the year, ASPA has wiped the cost of membership to better support individuals working and volunteering in sport until its able to deliver more events which saw so much success in 2019.

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