Australian Sports Commission

What Australian Sports Commission does

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is an Australian Government statutory authority, founded in 1989, that operates as the national coordinating body for sport in Australia. It is headquartered at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) campus in Canberra and employs between 501 and 1,000 staff. The AIS itself was established in 1981 and merged with the ASC in 2009 to unify high-performance sport and national sport development under a single organisation. ASC is accountable to the Australian Government through the relevant minister and is funded primarily through federal appropriations.

The ASC's product portfolio is built around government service delivery rather than commercial sales. Core offerings include grants and funding programs for athletes, sport professionals and organisations; scholarships (including the Suncorp-branded 'Confidence to Coach, Courage to Officiate' program); the Sporting Schools program delivered through schools nationally; sporting facilities and camps at the AIS campus; sports medicine and rehabilitation; the Clearinghouse for Sport knowledge platform; and a Learning Centre for sport professionals. Strategic initiatives include Win Well (Australia's High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy), Play Well (Sport Participation Strategy), the AIS Podium Project infrastructure upgrade, the AIS FPHI (Female Performance and Health Initiative), and specialised guidance on concussion, nutrition, coaching and officiating.

ASC serves a horizontally segmented national beneficiary base: elite athletes, sport professionals, national sport organisations, schools, people with disability, and the general public. Its go-to-market is a sales-led government service model accessed through ausport.gov.au, the online grant portal, the AIS Shop storefront, and the AIS campus in Canberra. Revenue mechanics are appropriations-based rather than transactional, with limited commercial monetisation. Leadership is headed by CEO Kieren Perkins, with Katrina Tonkin serving as Chief Financial Officer and Deputy General Manager.

Name

Australian Sports Commission

Legal name

Australian Sports Commission

Website

https://sportaus.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Australian Sports Commission is an Australian Government statutory authority, headquartered in Canberra, that funds and coordinates national sport through grants, scholarships, the AIS campus, and participation and high-performance strategies. It serves athletes, sport organisations, schools, and the broader Australian public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Sport Governance Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional/Continental Confederations & Associations (MPAKAFAD), Disability & Adaptive Sport Governing Bodies (Paralympic & Sport-Specific) (MPAKAFAL), Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF), Referee, Umpire & Coach Education/Certification Academies (MPAKAJAN)

Keywords

• National sport governance
• High performance sport
• Athlete development programs
• Sport participation strategy
• Sports grants funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a statutory authority of the Australian Government, the Australian Sports Commission is primarily funded through government appropriations and budgetary allocations. Revenue supports operational programs, athlete support, grants distribution, and sporting infrastructure.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Australian Sports Commission is the Australian Government statutory authority that supports and invests in sport at both the participation and elite levels. It distributes grants and funding, delivers scholarships, runs the Sporting Schools program, operates the AIS high-performance campus (training, sports medicine, accommodation, tours), and provides research, coaching, officiating, concussion and nutrition guidance to athletes, sport professionals, schools, organisations and the public. Its strategies Win Well (high performance) and Play Well (participation) frame the national approach ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

Product overview

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) operates the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) as Australia's high-performance sports hub. The organization offers a portfolio of government services including grants and funding programs, scholarships, sporting facilities, sports medicine, and educational resources. Key initiatives include the Win Well high-performance strategy for 2032+, the Play Well participation strategy, the AIS Podium Project infrastructure upgrade, Sporting Schools programs for children, and the Clearinghouse for Sport knowledge-sharing platform. The ASC also provides guidance on nutrition, concussion management, coaching, and officiating. These services collectively support athletes, sport professionals, organizations, and the general public in participation and high-performance sport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AIS (Australian Institute of Sport): The high-performance sports hub located in Canberra, operating as a division of the Australian Sports Commission.

Products and services

• Grants and Funding

Quantifiable outcome

• The AIS Podium Project represents a once-in-a-generation upgrade to support athletes for Brisbane and beyond

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SuncorpfeaturedGTM or Marketing PartnerSuncorp operates the Scholarships Program in partnership with ASC, empowering sport leaders to transform community coaching and officiating. The program provides scholarships to sport leaders, branded as 'Confidence to Coach, Courage to Officiate'. Suncorp is featured as a sponsor on the ASC website homepage.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ): Specialised Crown entity responsible for high-performance sport in New Zealand, providing athlete support and leading towards the Olympics. Mirrors the high-performance component of ASC's operations, particularly around centralised elite athlete preparation.
• Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: One of Canada's network of high-performance training centres supporting Olympic and Paralympic athletes, similar to how the AIS campus in Canberra supports Australian athletes. Comparable in operating model and high-performance athlete services.

Direct peers

• Japan Sport Council (Japan): Japan's national sport promotion body, operating national sport facilities and supporting athlete development ahead of major events including the Tokyo 2020 Games. Comparable as a national sport agency with facility operations and elite athlete support mandates.
• German Federal Institute of Sport Science (BISp): Germany's federal sport science and policy research institute, supporting elite sport and sport development through federal funding. Comparable to ASC's research and policy function supporting high-performance sport.
• Sport England: UK Government arm's-length body distributing National Lottery and government funding to grassroots and elite sport. Closely comparable to ASC as a national sport authority with both participation and high-performance remits.
• Sport New Zealand: New Zealand's national sport funding and policy agency, supporting high-performance sport and participation through government appropriation. Highly analogous to ASC in mandate, structure, and funding model, and the closest cross-Tasman counterpart.
• Sport Canada: Canadian federal sport authority administering funding programs for high-performance athletes and sport participation. Mirrors ASC's dual elite/participation remit and government appropriation model.
• UK Sport: UK government-funded body responsible for funding and supporting the UK's high-performance Olympic and Paralympic system. Directly comparable to the high-performance side of ASC's mandate, particularly around Olympic preparation and athlete pathways.
• Agence nationale du Sport (France): France's national sports agency created in 2019 to coordinate high-performance sport and participation funding. Highly comparable structure and remit to ASC as a single national authority delivering both Olympic preparation and mass-participation objectives.

Broad incumbents

• United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC): US national Olympic and Paralympic governing committee, preparing Team USA for the Games and supporting athlete pathways. Comparable in high-performance remit but operates under a different private/non-profit model rather than as a direct government agency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ausport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian Sports Commission