The Impact of the 2008 Recession on Youth Sport Programs in a Local Community

Recently, Canada endured an economic recession where various industries and sectors were affected by the altering economic environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact the 2008 recession had on youth sport programs offered by the public and voluntary sectors with respect to participation rates and the manner by which the sport organizations dealt with potential consequences. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers or board members of community sport programs in London, Ontario (Canada). The results indicate that the recession had no impact on the overall participation rates for the sports that were examined. However, underlying processes caused shifts in participation patterns (e.g., higher attraction to lower cost programs). Individuals in higher socioeconomic brackets were less impacted. An increase was seen in the usage of existing subsidy programs. Organizations developed various business strategies, (e.g., freezing prices), to minimize the impact of the recession