As registration fees, memberships and equipment costs continue to rise, some Australians are questioning whether organised sport remains accessible or if participation has become a financial privilege.
After finishing work each day, Isabella Taylor, 22, heads straight to the gym, ice skating sessions or the occasional scuba diving trip, hobbies she says are essential for maintaining balance outside of full time work.
But staying active comes with a growing price tag and Ms Taylor is now questioning whether sport and recreational activities are worth the cost.
“I think they give me a really good outlet for my energy and they give me a good way to decompress after work,” Ms Taylor said.
“But scuba diving has become too expensive. Dives cost about four to five hundred dollars per dive and gym membership have definitely increased too.
“I definitely agree that hobbies can be a luxury. Not everyone has the ability to put aside money just for fun when there are bills, groceries and everything else to pay for.”
The rising expectations around activity related expenses reflects the broader cost of living pressure.
As costs rise, participation decisions are increasingly shaped by affordability rather than interest alone.
For Ms Taylor, rising costs have already changed which activities remain realistic options, reinforcing concerns that sport and recreational activities are becoming increasingly dependent on disposable income.
Ms Taylor, who works full time, said financial limitations had directly influenced which activities remain accessible.
“For a while I was only going to the gym because that was all that was accessible to me financially,” Ms Taylor said.
“Adding more hours at work gave me more flexibility to spend money on hobbies like ice skating and diving.”
The financial pressures surround participation extended beyond young adults entering the workforce.
For Vince Gibbs, who participates in basketball, surfing and rock climbing increasing participation costs had changed the way he approached sport and recreational activities.
“I’m currently in that situation with climbing. I don’t pay for a climbing membership anymore because I can’t really afford it with my mortgage,” Mr Gibbs said.
“I’m almost considering the same for basketball because it keeps creeping up and it’s not just the cost of the $800 or so a year… there’s also the risk of injury and potentially missing work.”
Participation costs vary significantly depending on the activity, but for many participants, memberships remain the largest expense.
According to Mr Gibbs rock climbing weekly memberships increased from approximately $30-$35 per week ten years ago to around $50 per week now.
Basketball participation can also exceed $800 annually before uniforms or additional equipment are included.
Equipment expenses also created additional barriers. Mr Gibbs said rock climbing equipment alone had cost more than $2,000, even for what he described as “entry level”.
“Rock climbing equipment is expensive and then if you’re travelling outdoors, it becomes petrol and travel costs as well,” Mr Gibbs said.
“Surfing can be cheaper once you already own the equipment, but even that initial cost is expensive.”
The financial sacrifices made by parents highlight how participation costs extend beyond registration fees alone. For many families, maintaining involvement in organised sport can mean adjusting household budgets or reducing spending elsewhere to keep children involved.
Federation University sport science professor Rochelle Eime, told the ABC, that rising costs are becoming a greater barrier to participation in activities, particularly for lower income communities.
“Cost has always been an issue, but more of an issue now with the rising cost of living,” Professor Eime said.
“Participation is much lower in areas of lower socio-economic status.”
Research conducted alongside the Australian Sports Commission found participation barriers were increasingly influenced by affordability, particularly within organised sport.
Professor Eime told the ABC that lower participation rates could have broader impacts beyond physical activity, affecting mental wellbeing, physical health and social connection.
While adults are increasingly reconsidering their own participation, parents often face an additional challenge, balancing activity costs for children alongside broader expenses.
Parent Rick Taylor, 57, said paying for children’s sport had become another expense families needed to factor into alongside living costs.
Mr Taylor currently pays sporting costs for two children, including a 9 year old playing soccer and an 11 year old participating in Oztag.
He estimated annual participation costs at approximately $500 for one child and $350 for the other.
Mr Taylor says registration costs had increased over time making it difficult to manage.
“Significant costs in context of cost of living increases,” Mr Taylor said.
“These costs would prove lower income families out of organised sport.”
Financial barriers associated with participation extend beyond registration fees. Mr Taylor said participation costs intersects with household income, spending habits and broader wellbeing outcomes, reinforcing concerns that affordability increasingly shapes who can access sport.
For many Australians, research shows that sport remains important for physical health, social connection and mental wellbeing. Whether those opportunities remain accessible, however, may increasingly depend on what people can afford.
