FUNDING FOR SPORT –
LESSON 14
HOW IS SPORT FUNDED IN
THE UK?
 PRIVATE SECTOR – COMPANIES WHO AIM TO
MAKE MONEY EG. MAN. UTD. – VOLUNTARY
SECTOR – NGB’S AND LOCAL PRIVATE
CLUBS WHICH EXISTS FOR THEIR MEMBERS.
(SPRINGFIELD FC.) DONATIONS FROM
CHARITIES OR LOCAL CLUBS
 PUBLIC SECTOR – FUNDED BY GOVERNMENT
AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES (RIVERSIDE)
 CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – LA. AND
SCHEMES
FOR EACH ORGANISATION DRAW UP A
TABLE AND STATE WHERE THE MONEY
COMES FROM AND HOW IT IS SPENT
P258
 WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE AND
POTENTIALLY NEGATIVE FEATURES OF
SPORTS FUNDING IN THE UK?
NATIONAL LOTTERY
 HOW HAS THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF SPORT?
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FUNDING FOR SPORT
We have seen that historically, sport has received insufficient funding (from public sector funding – from the
government and the local authorities) and that the tide is turning, especially if we want to achieve on the world
stage.
SPORT FUNDING IN THE UK
GOOD
NATIONAL LOTTERY MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR EXCELLENCE
SOME CLUBS ARE VERY WEALTHY – MANCHESTER UNITED
IT CAN BE SEEN THAT WHEN SPORT TURNS PROFESSIONAL THEY CAN COMPETE ON AN EVEN KEELE –
RUGBY UNION – ENGLAND CAN NOW COMPETE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.
THE GOVERNMENT ARE NOW PLAYING A MORE DIRECT DOMINANT ROLE – IN 1999 THE GOVERNMENT
PUT £125 MILLION INTO A SCHEME TO ‘ BRING BACK OUR PLAYING FIELDS’ AND IS COMMITTED INTO
PUTTING LOTTERY MONEY INTO A ‘GREEN SPACE’ INITIATIVE.
BAD
LOTTERY MONEY NEEDS TO BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED
THERE IS LACK OF FINANCIAL EQUALITY BETWEEN CLUBS
WHEN AMBITION OUTWEIGHS FINANCIAL RESOURCES, SMALLER CLUBS CAN GO BANKRUPT
NGBs ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING THEIR AUTONOMY WHEN ‘SELLING’ THEIR SPORT
LIMITED GOVERNMENT AID MEANS THAT COMMERCIALISM HAS A GREATER ROLE TO PLAY IN BRITISH
SPORT. THIS CAN LEAD TO LACK OF CONTROL BY THE CLUBS OVER THEIR OWN DESTINY
A BALANCE SHOULD BE SOUGHT BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING
THE COMPLEXITY OF FUNDING SOURCES IN BRITAIN HAS LED TO AN IMBALANCE BETWEEN ACTIVITIES
AND PROVISION ON LEVELS OF THE PERFORMANCE PYRAMID.
 POSSIBLE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR ELITE
PERFORMERS
 TRUSTS AND CHARITIES
 SPORTSAID SPONSORSHIP
 PARENTS AND FAMILIES
 PRIVATE COMPANIES
 NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY
 PART-TIME WORK
 NATIONAL LOTTERY (WORLD CLASS
PROGRAMME)
 NATIONAL LOTTERY
 HUGE IMPACT AND IS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF
SPORT FUNDING IN THE UK. IT PROVIDES
GRANTS OF MORE THAN £200 MILLION
ANNUALLY. THIS IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE
FIVE SPORTS COUNCILS TO SUPPORT AND
ENCOURAGE SPORTING EXCELLENCE AND
MASS PARTICIPATION. THEY MAKE THEIR
OWN DECISIONS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT
INTERFERENCE.
 IT HELPS ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE:
 UK SPORT DISTRIBUTES £25 MILLION OF LOTTERY
FUNDING EACH YEAR TO THE NGBs WORLD CLASS
PERFORMANCE PROGRAMMES
 IT ALSO FUNDS THE UKSI AND ITS COACHES,
SPORTS SCIENCE BACK UP, WARM WEATHER AND
ACCLIMATISATION TRAINING, TRAVEL AND
ACCOMMODATION FOR COMPETITION, ATHLETE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND TRAINING
FACILITIES. PERFORMANCE DIRECTORS COORDINATE THE PROJECT IF THEY FAIL TO ACHIEVE
THEY LOSE THEIR FUNDING.
 THE NATIONAL LOTTERY AND MASS
PARTICIPATION
 THE SPORTS COUNCILS ENCOURAGE
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT AND THE
PROVISION OF FACILITIES BY
PROVIDING FUNDING FOR
INDIVIDUALS, SPORTS CLUBS, LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AND THE NGBs OF
SPORT.
WORLD CLASS PATHWAY
PROGRAMME
 INTRODUCED IN 2006
 MAIN AIM IS TO GIVE 3 LEVELS OF SUPPORT
TO OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC PERFORMERS
 WHAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT IS GIVEN FOR:
 WORLD CLASS PODIUM
 WORLD CLASS DEVELOPMENT
 WORLD CLASS TALENT