INTRODUCTION
The staging of sports events generates important economic benefits, as well as contributing to a sense of community identity and culture. A range of ABS data can be used to estimate income and expenditure associated with sports events. For example, Australian households spent $294.4m on spectator admission fees to watch sport in 2003-04 (see Expenditure by households). In addition, sports industries earned $410.3m from admissions to sporting events in 2004-05 (see Chapter 10 - Industries).
This chapter provides data on the number and characteristics of persons attending sporting events. The information draws on a number of data sources that are briefly discussed below.
The Multi-Purpose Household Survey (MPHS) collected sports attendance data during July 2005 to June 2006 from persons aged 15 years and over. Attendance data from the MPHS has been published in Sports Attendance, Australia, 2005 - 2006 (cat. no. 4174.0). Information on this topic was previously collected as a supplement to the 2002 General Social Survey and in the 1999 Monthly Population Survey conducted in April 1999. These surveys collected data from persons aged 18 years and over. Data for this age group has been included in this publication for comparative purposes.
The 2003 Survey of Disability Ageing and Carers obtained information regarding whether persons aged 5 years and over with a disability had attended a sports event away from home in the previous 12 months. Data from this survey has been published in Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary of Findings, Australia, 2003 (cat. no. 4430.0). The survey was previously conducted in respect of 1998.
The Bureau of Tourism Research regularly collects information from overseas visitors and Australian residents aged 15 years and over, including data relating to the purpose of their trip and whether they attended a sports event during their visit. Data from the 2002 surveys are included in this chapter. Results are published on a quarterly and calendar year basis in the following publications:
Travel by Australians - Results of the National Visitor Survey
Travel by Australians - Quarterly Results of the National Visitor Survey
International Visitors in Australia - Results of the International Visitor Survey
International Visitors in Australia - Quarterly Results of the International Visitor Survey.
The Time Use Survey, conducted in 1997, collected detailed information about the daily activity patterns, including attendance at sport events, of persons in Australia aged 15 years and over. Data from this survey have been published in editions of How Australians Use Their Time, 1997 (cat no. 4153.0) and Time Use on Culture/Leisure Activities, 1997 (cat. no. 4173.0). The survey was conducted again in 2006 and results from this will be included in the next edition of Sport and Recreation: a Statistical Overview.
When comparing data from different sources it is important to take into consideration the scope and methodology of the surveys. These issues are noted throughout the chapter where such comparisons are made.
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