A sustainable club should not aim simply to be the cheapest club. It should aim to provide an experience that members value, volunteers can sustain and the next generation can inherit.
Community sporting clubs often approach fees by asking, “How low can we keep them?” A better starting point might be, “What does it actually cost us to deliver a safe, enjoyable and sustainable rugby experience, and what is that experience worth?” Setting an appropriate fee is not about making community rugby expensive. It is about ensuring the club can pay its bills, maintain its assets, support its volunteers and continue improving what it provides to members. The Setting Fees - Sport HQ resource developed by the Queensland Government recommends preparing the annual budget, a silver activity listed in the Club Impact Program, before setting fees and considering a value-based pricing approach.
The first step is understanding the real cost of delivering rugby. This extends well beyond jerseys, footballs and match fees. Clubs also need to consider affiliation and competition costs, insurance, facility hire, utilities, maintenance, equipment, technology, administration and the other expenses required to operate throughout the year. It is also worth separating income directly associated with delivering rugby from income generated through activities such as canteens, sponsorship and fundraising. The Sport HQ guide suggests that, ideally, membership income should cover the cost of providing the sporting program, allowing other income to help the club improve and grow rather than continually filling an operating shortfall.
Sustainable fee setting should also help pay for tomorrow, not just this season. Facilities age, equipment needs replacing and unexpected costs arise.
Establishing an appropriate reserve or sinking fund can give a club the ability to replace assets, contribute to facility improvements and take advantage of funding opportunities when they emerge.
This matters because programs such as government infrastructure funding will not always cover the entire project, with some examples including:
- The previous NSW Multi Sport Community Facility Fund that expected applicants to provide a financial contribution equal to at least 50 per cent of the total grant amount requested.
- Western Australia’s Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund capping funding to one third of a project’s total cost, and
- Queensland’s Games On! Grassroots Infrastructure Program requiring between 20 to 50% contributions dependent on project tier.
Building reserves over time can therefore make the difference between simply identifying a facility need and being financially ready to act on it.
There is also a part of your club's value that is harder to see on a spreadsheet.
Members are not simply purchasing a uniform and some time on a rugby field. They receive coaching, organised competitions, access to facilities, administration, events, friendships, community connection and a place to belong.
Much of that experience is made possible by people donating their time. That volunteer contribution may not appear as an expense in the accounts, but it certainly has value. More broadly, sport is increasingly recognised for its contribution to healthier, more inclusive and connected communities. Think about the way we approach other recreation. When we pay for a night out, a gym membership, a concert or another family activity, we are paying for the overall experience, not simply the physical items we receive. A season of community rugby provides an experience too, and clubs should not be afraid to recognise its value.
Charging appropriately can also help protect the people delivering that experience. Keeping fees artificially low can sometimes mean the difference is paid in volunteer hours instead.
Consider a club with 250 members. An additional $20 per member generates $5,000. Depending on the club's circumstances, that could contribute towards professional bookkeeping, administration or another specialist function that has traditionally fallen to a volunteer.
Instead of expecting a committee member to spend evenings reconciling accounts or completing routine administration, the club can purchase some professional support and allow volunteers to concentrate on leadership, rugby and their community. The Sport HQ guide specifically cautions that providing a high level of service at very low fees can place additional pressure on volunteers.
Of course, the right fee is not simply the highest fee a club can charge. Accessibility remains important. Australian Sports Commission data shows that cost can influence participation, particularly for families experiencing financial pressure. In 2025, 74 per cent of participating children aged 14 and under had paid to participate in organised sport or physical activity outside school, with an average reported annual cost of $1,026. Clubs can consider options such as payment plans, family pricing, equipment reuse and targeted financial assistance while still setting fees that reflect the true cost of providing rugby. The objective is balance. Understand your finances, plan for future costs, value the experience you provide and clearly communicate to members where their money goes.
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