The Federation of Irish Sport has published its Annual Review for 2014 highlighting major achievements by Irish sport on the world stage. It also highlighted the fact that from 2011 to 2014 Irish athletes had won 241 Championship medals, compared to only 65 between 2007 and 2010.
Sports participation rates have similarly climbed rapidly from 30% in 2008 to 47% in the latest edition of the Irish Sports Council’s Sports monitor.
In a world of simple conclusions it can only be deduced, and will be by many that sport is in rude good health. That this has been achieved off the back of a 27% reduction in funding from central Government for programmes since 2008.
This is worrying on a number of levels. The obvious is that less money is being allocated through the traditional channel of funding through the Irish Sports Council, though the Federation Review gives only passing recognition to the near €100 million invested in three Capital Sports Programmes under Minister Michael Ring.
Doing more with less
The second is that this Government came into power with a view of the public sector needing to do more with less. The premise was to set right the overspending of previous years that had triggered our financial crisis.
Sport has been something of a poster child in this regard and is unlikely to be an area of public spending that keeps Ministers beyond Mssrs Donohoe and Ring awake at night.
Deep in the report CEO Sarah O’Connor references the important new credibility being given to sport by the Department of Health through next year’s launch of a physical activity plan and Fáilte Ireland through boosting sports capacity to bid for international events.
Health is of course the principal area where sport can be seen as crucial by Government. Health spending is vast but almost exclusively in reactive areas. By diverting 1% of current health spending towards greater activity we could transform the health of the nation and reduce the cost of the health service, albeit over a longer term than is recognised in a parliamentary democracy.
This is the area where focus is most especially needed and where the headlines should be sought.
Health Insurance
Health insurance companies are investing. Glohealth runs an imaginative club member rebate scheme around young families that rewards sporting engagement and benefits them in creating a healthier long term customer base.
Aviva are long term supporters and from 2015 VHI Healthcare will support the Women’s Mini Marathon.
“A programme of matched funding from the Department of Health based on the money invested in sport by Health insurance companies could double the value and create even greater leverage.”
Business Targets
The other area is in the world of business. Sport delivers everything that marketers of product and service need. From rich content and wonderful stories of achievement to passionate support and heartfelt engagement.
Sport should address its many and varied persuasive talents towards the marketing departments and executive management teams of business across the country.
The money spent on promotion and advertising is vast and there is significant scope for diverting more towards sport. Total sponsorship in 2014 was lily in or around €1.25 total online advertising was almost 200 times that. There is a gap and we know from our own deep connections within business that there is a willingness to support the right ideas and the right stories.
Badminton
Take Badminton Ireland as a case study. Last year it created 32 new clubs around the country, a great achievement which brings the total number to almost 400. That means nearly 60,000 players and there are another 50,000 playing in schools through the Shuttle Time programme.
Total Irish Sports Council investment for 2014 was a little over €400,000 but there is no main commercial partner supporting the sport, either at national or local level.
A €4 per head investment in the sport by a business would generate 50% of the total Sports Council investment. At national level that still represents a sizeable commitment but at regional or club level it could deliver engagement that would secure longer term commitment to a brand based join a sport where players would recognise and vote with their wallets for companies that are supporting them.
Sport Deserves
Sport delivers and deserves on merit to attract more funding. Getting the blend of public and private money is crucial and telling the benefits and the stories of sport is something that needs to be focused on with ever greater clarity in 2015.
Sport for Business will be here to bridge the gap in new and imaginative ways.
