The Future of Sport: An Overview of Australian Sports Structure

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The Future of Sport

Executive Summary
This paper reflects an essay on the Australian sports structure, highlighting the key influential
factors of the same. The sports structure of Australia is considered as one of the most eminent
sports structure in present sports scenario. The present structure is called four pyramids of sports.
This structure is focused on development of each and every aspect of Australian sports sector.
Under this structure the country has experienced an increased number of Australian athletes
coming out as skilful and trained enough to join the national and international level of sports
events. An increased amount of participation has also been noticed. This essay deals with both
the present scenario of sports sector in Australia and also the effective sports models for a better
future of Australian sports industry. With such a large pool of talents in sports sector, Australia is
bound to reach heights of success with implementation of accurate sports policies and programs.
This paper also highlights a sports structure for future based on the assumptions made through
this assessment.
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Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Part 1: The Present...........................................................................................................................5
Factors affecting the sports industry............................................................................................5
Elucidation of the 4-ring model for present study.......................................................................6
NSO and its affordability.............................................................................................................7
Performance indicators of Australian Sports Association...........................................................8
Youth participation array.............................................................................................................9
Traditional sports v/s modern sports..........................................................................................10
Implication and applicability of 4-pyramids model...................................................................10
PART 2: THE FUTURE................................................................................................................11
Importance of sports management.............................................................................................12
Factors affecting the sports management policies.....................................................................12
Applicability of sports management..........................................................................................14
Total impact on future regimen of Australian sports.................................................................15
Inferring sports management and functionality.........................................................................17
4-Pyramid diagram w.r.t future sports endeavour.....................................................................18
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................20
References......................................................................................................................................21
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Introduction
Australian sports sector is enriched with talented sports persons and has always been on the top
of sports charts. Over the years, Australian sports persons from various sectors have performed
excellently well in their respective platforms and garnered respect and praise for themselves as
well as their country. Australia is undoubtedly a pool of talent when it comes to sports sector,
hence, the name of the country can be found among the top listed teams in any international
sports event. With supreme command over their preferred sports, Australian sports persons have
emerged as the best in many renowned international sports events, making their country and
countrymen proud. To support the pool of sports talents in Australia, the Government should
implement favourable sports policies so that the sports persons and sports enthusiasts are
benefitted from the developed sports infrastructure of the country (Brockett, 2017). This essay is
all about the overview of Australian sports structure with thorough assessment of some important
and relevant aspects of the same. The first part of the essay deals with the structure of 4 pyramids
of Australian sports and how the pyramid represents the management, organisation, and structure
of Australian sport. The second part of the essay highlights on the impact on the sport
organisation, management, and delivery in the future.
Part 1: The Present
Sport industry is one of the major industries of Australia, from which a vast number of excellent
and skilful athletes are emerging every single year. Although the participation in mainstream
sports was declined in 2005-2010, the Australian sports industry has been able to put up with the
changing scenario of the sports sector and has taken a relatively faster pace afterwards. Action
sports are found to be showing a higher growth rate, both in terms of demand and supply, around
the world than that of the other type of sports. Freestyle BMX and inline skating are tow most
popular action sports around the new generation and have climbed the ladder of popularity
quicker than ever (Willem and Scheerder, 2017). The risk and individualism which revolve
around these action sports are considered as the reasons for which their popularity is sky-high
among the generation Y of Australia. The country is having a long history of sporting clubs. The
present sports system of Australia started to evolve in 1972, when the Government of Australia
invested in sports infrastructure and programming for the first time. Although initially there was
very little support from the end of Government, the country generated a successful participation
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base and international sporting record. The current sport structure of Australia is referred as the
four pyramids of Australian sport (Reis et al. 2017).
Factors affecting the sports industry
Australian sports industry is having a number of influential factors which directly or indirectly
affect the growth of this particular sector. Four pyramids of Australian sports is one of the most
important aspects of the sports industry and sports structure of Australia. Each of the pyramids
represents a hierarchical system which considers sports for four different segments of the sector;
 Government (local, state and national)
 The traditional sports club system (state sport organisations, regional associations,
national sports organisations and clubs)
 The elite sports system (institute of sports)
 Corporate teams (Professional leagues)
Elucidation of the 4-ring model for present study
The given figure of four pyramids of Australian sport illustrates that the communication flow
moves vertically within each of the pyramids, and horizontally between each of the pyramids
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clearly. In accordance to the theory, it can be said that the mainstream sport system provides for
a clear understanding of coordination among provider, participant, policy and funding sources,
unlike the action sports industry (Charles-Edwards, 2017). From the four pyramids of Australian
sport, a deeper understanding regarding the development process and structure of the Australian
sports system can be obtained. The outer ring illustrates the community level sport activities, also
reflecting the basic level or local level groups. Local authorities around Australia are important
to develop the sports infrastructure and render maintenance so that sports participation is
positively affected. The rest of the segments up to the elite level are fed and nurtured by the
source formulated from this ring. The foundation of the sport system is also formed with the help
of the elements of the outer ring. The local level groups are generally owned by respective local
sports authorities. At this level, a critical part is formed by the club system, and voluntary
participation is preferred. This level is comprised of managers and participants among whom
most of them are deprived of required skills, knowledge and experience to handle the sports and
resources.
A systematic progression towards a more organized and skillful segment of the sports industry is
reflected by the inner rings of the model. Career improvements of the Australian athletes through
a structured sports development system is represented by the progression for the outer rings to
the inner rings (Beck et al. 2017). The coordination and interrelation among the network of rings
and stakeholders, illustrate the structure which makes the sport development process in Australia
stronger. Resources are believed to play a pivotal role in order to ensure that the sports system is
started to grow right from the local authority level. Emerging dynamics and rapidly changing
aspects of sports industry in Australia have to be embraced by sport infrastructure and suitable
network of stakeholders so that the Australian sports system can be flourished and become
successful in future.
The inner-most ring represents the national level governing bodies such as NSOs and policy
formulation and funding providers such as ASC. The institutions in elite sports system are of
much importance as they are responsible for rendering needful training, coaching, relevant sports
related opportunities and concept or framework about sports science. The skilled performers are
highly benefitted by these institutes which helps them to acquire new sports techniques and also
sharpen their existing skills (Bradbury and O’Boyle, 2017). Thus, with all the rings consisting of
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