What’s happening in the field

Grassroots sports organisations face several specific challenges, including:

• Limited Funding and Resources: Many grassroots organisations operate on tight budgets, making it difficult to invest in necessary infrastructure, equipment, and digital tools.
• Inadequate Infrastructure: Poor facilities and lack of access to quality training grounds can hinder the development of athletes and the overall growth of the organisation.
• Volunteer Dependence: These organisations often rely heavily on volunteers, who may lack the necessary training and experience to manage operations effectively.
• Operational Challenges: Poor organisational practices and unrealistic expectations from parents and participants can create additional pressures on volunteer coaches and administrators.
• Digital Divide: The lack of digital literacy and access to modern technology can prevent grassroots organisations from leveraging digital tools to enhance their operations and engagement.
• Participant Drop-Out: High drop-out rates among participants, often due to lack of engagement or inadequate support, can impact the sustainability of grassroots programs.
• Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges, leading to reduced participation, financial strain, and increased operational difficulties.

Addressing these challenges is crucial for the sustainability and growth of grassroots sports organisations.

As new technologies have taken over virtually all aspects of our lives (the way we communicate, work and socialise for the most part), grassroots sport clubs are falling behind and struggling with digitalisation, be it for internal, external or strategic reasons. 

The challenges they are facing are as follows:

The dangers of not changing with the times

Grassroots sport organisations are increasingly falling behind in the digital age, struggling to keep pace with technological advancements that are rapidly transforming the sports industry. Unlike their elite counterparts, many grassroots organisations lack the resources and expertise to implement digital tools effectively. 

Digitisation means modernisation and ultimately gathering more members. Associations spend too much time on management and administration, which reduces their focus on their sports and social activities, causing them to lose their dynamism. This is the real meaning of digitisation: gaining time and flexibility to concentrate on the essentials – their pedagogical project, club events, equipment, communication, and, in short, the sports and social aspects.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to digital transformation in the sports services, with innovations facilitating interactions between coaches and licences or consumers, consolidating social networks as a means of boosting an already-growing industry, and organising exercise spaces. However, disparities in accessibility to financial and digital resources necessary for digitalisation vary depending on the providers, managers, and geographical location that the sports organisation faces.

The advancement of IT technology has made it essential for grassroots sport organisations to digitise their management processes, both in administration and training. For decades, sport grassroot organisations used tools like Word and Excel to make their administrative duties more efficient. Google’s popular solutions like Drive, Calendar, and Docs provided a simpler way for them to function daily, but this method had its limitations. Documents were scattered, and constant. But modern tools are today used to fully digitise sport grassroot organisations’ activities and help solve administrative problems.

This digital divide results in missed opportunities for enhancing participant engagement, streamlining administrative tasks, and leveraging data for better decision-making. Consequently, these organisations often find themselves unable to compete with more digitally-savvy entities, leading to decreased visibility and participation. Embracing digitalisation is no longer optional but essential for grassroots sports to thrive and remain relevant in today’s fast-evolving landscape.

Key Takeaways

📟 Grassroot sports organisations are falling behind in terms of digitalisation.

📟 Digitalisation is about gaining time, efficiency, attracting new members.

📟 It is not too late to embark on an innovation journey!

INCLUDE VIDEO FROM DigiFIt PILOT AND MENTORS

Topic materials & Resources to go further

Name of the material	Why it matters / What you will find
Report on grassroots sport and future readiness 🔗	Details on  current challenges and obstacles facing sport organisations.