Alcohol management in community sports clubs: impact on viability and participation

Issue addressed: Whether improved alcohol management delivers additional benefits to clubs in the form of financial viability, expanded membership, increased spectators and greater capacity for competition. Methods: Measures were derived from 657 Australian community sporting clubs enrolled in the Good Sports program. The program assists clubs to manage alcohol through an accreditation process that sets minimum standards for regulatory compliance, club practices and policies. Measures were taken from survey information collected prior to Level 1 accreditation and at the third and final level of club accreditation. Results: Income was found to increase and reliance on alcohol as a funding source was found to diminish over time. Membership increased and was accelerated among females, young people and non-players. No changes in the number of junior and senior teams or players were found. Conclusions: Improved alcohol management can produce a range of benefits beyond responsible drinking patterns that add to club sustainability.