AoC Sport membership review

Transcription

1 AC Sprt membership review Cnsultatin paper, February 2018 In a nutshell The challenges. Declining number f 16 year lds = declining incme t clleges Declining number f clleges = declining incme t AC Sprt Declining cmpetitin entries = mre travelling and/r fewer fixtures Sprt England and The FA want AC Sprt t have a wide reach FE sectr becming mre cmplex nt always clear wh can becme a member. A slutin? Create new affiliate categries = new incme and new cmpetitin entries Tugher criteria n wh we admit t ensure n risky rganisatins Invlve regins in assessment f affiliate applicatins Use new incme t sustain and grw cllege sprt and physical activity Full membership still exclusive fr clleges. But there might be ther slutins t. What d yu think? Backgrund When AC Sprt was set up in 2014, full membership was restricted t sixth frm and general FE clleges cnstituted under the 1992 Act. This has allwed AC Sprt t fcus clsely n the needs f the cllege sectr. Hwever, current trends make the mdel difficult t sustain: we are in a demgraphic dip which is affecting cllege incme and student participatin the FE landscape is becming increasingly cmplex, with many clleges linking with ther types f FE institutin there are fewer clleges nw than ever befre as a result f mergers cmpetitin entries frm clleges are dwn verall. The prblem was identified in the AC s Review f AC Create, AC Sprt and The Charitable trust in the latter half f The Review recmmended that AC Sprt develp an actin plan fr increasing incme, including cnsideratin f widening access t services via a new membership mdel. The Review als recgnised that members were divided ver Page 1

2 changing the access t AC Sprt s services t nn-clleges. Sme cllege members believed that AC Sprt shuld enable any institutin t access t sprt and physical activity; ther members were cncerned abut AC Sprt supprting cmpetitr institutins. AC Sprt is therefre cnsulting its members ver prpsed changes t the membership mdel. It must be stressed that while this cnsultatin it is fcused n a specific prpsal, there are ther ptins that will emerge during the cnsultatin prcess which will need t be cnsidered fully. Key issues The demgraphic dip Natinally, the number f 16 year lds has been declining fr sme time and will reach a lw pint in It will increase after frm 2019 but it wn t get back t 2014 levels until Assuming this is reflected in cllege intake, cllege incme will be reduced and will be behind actual numbers frm 2020 nwards. Sprt and physical activity, as an enrichment r nn-cre activity, is likely t be hit hard, as will secndary spend with AC Sprt (e.g. league and cup entries). Reducing number f clleges There is als an issue arund the shrinking market under the current mdel. Cllege membership f AC Sprt increased every year fr the first three years f AC Sprt s existence, peaking at 255 members in 16/17. This year, membership has reduced t 230, mainly as a result f mergers. Mre mergers are planned fr 17/18 and it is reasnable t assume that membership numbers will drp further. AC Sprt s subscriptin mdel which is based n a cst being shared prprtinately acrss all members has prtected the verall amunt f membership incme. Hwever, there are limits as t hw far this mdel can stretch. FE landscape becming increasingly cmplex The FE landscape is becming increasingly cmplex which is making the membership criteria harder t apply: there are clleges, 6th frm centres, 6th frm academies, clleges managing schls, clleges being part f Free Schls, UCIs, federatins, etc. There is n lnger a clear-cut distinctin between clleges and the rest. In sme cases, this is resulting in nn-clleges wanting t becme members. There is als the practical prblem is whether institutins which are linked t member clleges are entitled t member benefits and rates. Cmpetitin entries dwn This year, there has been a decrease in the number f cllege teams entered int ur leagues. Clleges are telling us that this is because there aren t enugh staff t take the same number f teams ut n Wednesday afternn; transprt budgets have been squeezed; and they dn t have enugh students t make up a full team. The likely cnsequences are smaller leagues; fewer fixtures; greater travelling distances; and less evenly matched teams. Q1. D yu recgnise the challenges as set ut abve? Are they affecting yu and yur cllege? Page 2

3 Stakehlder views Thrugh the Review, several stakehlders have prvided a view n the membership issue: Clleges Sprt England Other custmers (nn-cllege institutins) The FA. Their views are summarised belw. Clleges (cnsulted as part f the AC s review f AC Sprt) AC member clleges were asked abut bradening membership and services prvided by AC Sprt. On the questin f whether nn-clleges shuld be able t access AC Sprt services beynd cmpetitins, views were divided with 16% saying n, 16% saying yes and 68% dn t knw. With regard t whether full membership t AC Sprt shuld be bradened beynd clleges (t reflect different rganisatinal mdels clleges are develping) there was a slightly clearer distinctin with 25% saying yes, 11% n, and 64% dn t knw. FE institutins which aren t clleges T find ut whether there is a demand fr membership r ther services, we undertk a survey f ur nn-cllege custmers in Octber We received 36 respnses, all f which all were interested in additinal benefits. The main benefits that interested them were: Entry t AC Sprt reginal turnaments (currently an exclusive benefit fr member clleges) Opprtunity t participate in the AC Sprt Natinal Champinships (subject t qualificatin at the reginal turnaments) (als an exclusive benefit fr member clleges) Opprtunity t trial fr England natinal representative teams (an exclusive member benefit) CPD pprtunities fr staff. Sprt England Sprt England Natinal Lttery funding has been awarded t AC Sprt t supprt students in FE clleges and sixth frm clleges acrss England, and nt just thse students frm AC Sprt member clleges. The FA The FA wuld be happy t see AC Sprt extend its remit and supprt mre schl academies and ther similar institutins in rder t increase participatin in ftball and cmpetitins. Hwever, The FA recgnises the cncerns abut ftball academies/ private training prviders and the quality f their prvisin. Page 3

4 Current benefits t cllege members We currently ffer a brad range f benefits t cllege members: Free entry t reginal turnaments in 13 sprts Opprtunity t prgress t the Natinal Champinships Pririty access t grant and prject funding e.g. Ftball Hubs, Empwering Wmen and Girls CPD pprtunities Pririty league entry t seven sprts at preferential rates Lcal develpment pprtunities fr participatin level sprt Cup cmpetitins in nine sprts at preferential rates Published resurces such as Twards Outstanding and Maths thrugh Sprt Student trials fr natinal representative teams in ftball, hckey and netball Dedicated reginal Plicy & Prjects Officer supprt: plicy updates and persnalised advice and supprt Access t reginal and natinal netwrks Significantly discunted cnference rates: curriculum, summer and ECFA cnferences Discunted rates and benefits frm partners e.g. Sprts Leaders UK Frtnightly e-newsletter & weekly briefings Full website access including members-nly area Entry t WrldSkills UK Fitness Trainer Cmpetitin and CPD pack Opt-in membership f StreetGames netwrk. Q2. Did yu knw that all these benefits were available t yu as a member? Are there any that yu didn t knw abut but wuld like t access? Why des this matter? The shrinking market f clleges and students threatens the sustainability f AC Sprt and cllege sprt and physical activity mre widely. Reducing numbers f clleges, teams and individual entries will impact the quality f leagues and turnaments. The vlume f cmpetitive sprt entries, particularly in ftball, allws AC Sprt t ffer a wide range f services, sprts and activities, including several which wuldn t be sustainable n their wn. AC Sprt must meet the expectatins f its funding partners. Any reductin f services, benefits, sprt and activities will ultimately impact n student experience. Page 4

5 The prpsal fr cnsultatin It is prpsed that student participant numbers and incme shuld be increased thrugh a new affiliate categry aimed at nn-clleges. It wuld give them a mre frmal relatinship with AC Sprt in return fr a subscriptin fee. It wuld be distinct frm full membership which wuld remain exclusive t clleges. Affiliatin wuld be available in tw packages: Premium Affiliate. This wuld be restricted t ESFA-funded institutins such as free schls and schl academies. It is prpsed that ftball academies, private training prviders and schls wuld nt be eligible. Premium Affiliates wuld be charged subscriptins at the same rate as equivalent member clleges (i.e.at least 1000 per annum) but the package f benefits wuld be mre limited: League entry t seven sprts; cup cmpetitins in nine sprts (subject t entry criteria and prcess) Member rates fr cnferences Access t grant and prject funding Opprtunity t cmpete in reginal turnaments and then prgress t Natinal Champs Student trials fr natinal representative teams Lcal develpment pprtunities fr participatin level sprt Access t reginal ps meetings Frtnightly e-newsletter Full website access including cmpetitrs lgin area Discunted rates and benefits frm partners Entry t WrldSkills UK Fitness Trainer Cmpetitin. Q3. Of these benefits, which d yu believe shuld be retained as exclusive cllege member benefits and which shuld be available t a Premium Affiliate? Q4. D yu think there are any ther services we culd ffer t prpsed Premium Affiliates? Basic Affiliate. This wuld be almst the same as the current ffer t nn-cllege institutins wh enter AC Sprt s league and cup cmpetitins. It wuld be pen t all 16+ institutins including state schls, independent schls and independent training prviders, subject t meeting AC Sprt s plicy n admissin f nnclleges. There wuld be stricter due diligence n the financial and reputatinal risks f applicants. Sme additinal incme generating services/benefits culd be ffered e.g. discunted entry t ur cnferences; access t certain n-line resurces. Nnclleges currently bring in 170k f incme t AC Sprt which reduces members subscriptins by an average f 740 per cllege. Member clleges wuld cntinue t receive the full range f benefits as set ut n page 4. Q5. D yu believe that the Basic Affiliate package is a suitable ffer? Q6. D yu see ther slutins are there t the challenges that we face? Page 5

6 What wuld the prpsal achieve? Mre teams, fuller leagues, less travelling, better matched ppsitin Increased incme frm subscriptins and cmpetitin entry fees Prtectin f minrity sprts and activities thrugh mre playing pprtunities and crss-subsidy frm ther sprts Full reginal turnaments Prtectin against increase f clleges membership subscriptins r cmpetitin entry fees Opprtunities fr reinvestment in clleges Mre attractive fr cntinued investment by funding partners Sustainability f bth AC Sprt and wider cllege sprt and physical activity. The dwnsides? Affiliates will use the relatinship with AC Sprt t recruit students wh wuld therwise have gne t cllege. We re widening access t things that have been exclusive t clleges: reginal turnaments, natinal champinships, natinal rep teams Q7. Please let us knw if yu think there are ther dwnsides r risks t the prpsal. Hw t get invlved Please make every effrt t attend ne f the cnsultatin sessins belw which are taking place as part f the reginal netwrk meetings. The presentatin and discussin with ther clleges will help yu frm a view n this imprtant issue. 1 February: West Midlands 6 March: East 5 February: East Midlands 8 March: Nrth East 9 February: Nrth West 27 February: Yrkshire & Humber; Suth East 1 March: Suth West 5 March: Lndn 19 March: ECFA Cmmittee; cnsultatin clses Late March: cnclusins shared with members April: AC Sprt and AC Bards. Thank yu fr taking the time t cnsider this prpsal. Please respnd t questins set ut in this paper by cmpleting the n-line survey by 19 March It can be accessed by this link. Marcus Kingwell, Managing Directr, AC Sprt, February 2018 Page 6