Australian Sports Professionals Association (ASPA)

What Australian Sports Professionals Association (ASPA) does

ASPA is a membership-based industry association for individuals working in Australian sport, founded in February 2019 and headquartered in Homebush, NSW. The organisation connects sports professionals—from recent graduates to veteran CEOs and board directors—through a national platform of networking events, mentoring programs, awards, industry publications, and an annual National Sports Census that captures sentiment across 77 sport types and nearly 1,000 respondents. ASPA serves four primary segments: industry professionals, club volunteers and administrators, students and academics, and senior leadership (board directors and CEOs), with state sporting federations (Sport NSW, QSport, WASF, Sport SA) functioning as foundational channel partners across six states and territories.

The business model centres on annual membership subscriptions (historically subscription-based, though complimentary memberships were offered through July 2022 as COVID-19 support), supplemented by one-time publication sales such as 'The Leadership Playbook for Australian Sport' ($25 for members, $30 for public) and event-related fees. ASPA operates without significant proprietary technology—relying on a website-based membership system, Instagram and LinkedIn presence, email newsletters, in-person events, and online webinars. The organisation is wholly owned and funded by SportsGrid Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based sports company, operating under a corporate-backed industry body model rather than a traditional member-funded non-profit structure.

Growth has been community-led and event-driven, with membership scaling from a launch base of roughly 200 attendees to over 1,000 by October 2021, and Census respondents increasing 320% from 2019 to 2020. Distribution combines direct website self-service, federation partner channels, in-person events, and online programming. The team is small, with three General Managers covering membership, strategy/operations/finance, and business development. ASPA has not disclosed revenue, and the complimentary-membership policy through mid-2022 means subscription monetisation has been deferred in favour of community building.

Name

Australian Sports Professionals Association (ASPA)

Legal name

Australian Sports Professionals Association

Website

https://sportsprofessionals.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ASPA is a membership-based industry association founded in 2019 that connects Australian sports professionals across 77 sport types through networking events, mentoring, the National Sports Census, and publications, with 1,000+ members and distribution via four state federation partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

Keywords

• Sports industry networking
• Professional membership services
• Industry networking events
• Sport leadership development
• Industry research insights

Headquarters

HQ city

Homebush, Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: ASPA operates as a membership-based association. Members pay subscriptions to join and access networking events, industry publications, mentoring programs, and recognition opportunities. During 2021/22, complimentary memberships were offered to support the industry during COVID-19.
2. Publications Sales: ASPA sells publications such as 'The Leadership Playbook for Australian Sport' to members and the public at different price points.
3. Event Registration: Events may include registration fees for non-members or special programming, though many events are offered free to industry professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Australian Sports Professionals Association (ASPA) is a membership-based industry association for individuals working in the Australian sports industry. It sells annual memberships that grant access to networking events, mentoring programs, training and education opportunities, knowledge-sharing sessions, awards, and industry publications. The association also conducts the annual National Sports Census and sells publications such as The Leadership Playbook for Australian Sport.

Product overview

ASPA is a membership-based association offering a unified platform of services for sports professionals in Australia. The core offering is ASPA Membership, which provides access to networking events, training, mentoring, industry publications, and awards programs. Key products include the annual National Sports Census (research initiative) and The Leadership Playbook for Australian Sport (published publication). Events include regular networking events and online webinars. The organization operates as an industry association rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASPA Membership Annual membership for individuals working in or studying to work in the Australian sports industry, providing access to networking events, mentoring, training, industry publications, and recognition programs.
• The Leadership Playbook for Australian Sport Published book available through the ASPA shop, focused on leadership principles within the Australian sporting industry, priced at $25.00 for members and $30.00 for public purchasers.
• Networking Events In-person and online networking events including morning teas, live debates, launch events, and webinars held across Australian states and territories to connect sports professionals.
• Online Webinars Digital educational sessions covering governance, leadership, ethics, and accountability, delivered in partnership with external bodies and offered to ASPA members at discounted rates.
• National Sports Census Annual industry-wide census capturing sentiment from volunteers, employees, and academics across Australian clubs, state and national sporting organisations, non-profits, and private enterprise, with results publicly released each year.

Quantifiable outcome

• 320% increase in Census respondents from 2019 to 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Academic InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2021Aligned with universities and academic institutions for the National Sports Census, capturing perspectives from academics working in sports research alongside industry professionals.
• 50+ Foundation State and National Sporting OrganisationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2021Over 50 foundation state and national sporting organisations aligned with ASPA, participating in the annual National Sports Census and supporting industry-wide research initiatives.
• State Sporting Federations (aggregated)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 July 2020ASPA partnered with state sport federations including SportWest, Sport SA, QSport, and Sport NSW to conduct the National Sports Census. These partnerships enabled reaching diverse respondents across Australian states and territories.
• Governance Institute of AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 June 2020Partnership offering ASPA members 20% discount on the 'Frameworks for culture, leadership, ethics and accountability' webinar featuring sports industry leaders including Rob Dalton (Acting CEO, Sport Australia).
• Sport NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2019Sport NSW is a foundation partner of ASPA, having committed support at inception. Hosted the ASPA launch event in Sydney with over 50 state and national bodies attending. Darren Simpson, Former CEO of Sport NSW, stated 'Sport NSW is proud to be a foundation partner of ASPA as we truly believe shared resources and collaboration are imperative for the growth of our industry.'
• QSport (Queensland Sports Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2019QSport officially partnered with ASPA at inception to deliver and promote the network nationally in Queensland. QSport represents the voice of sport in Queensland to government and policy advisors.
• WA Sports Federation (WASF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2019WA Sports Federation officially partnered with ASPA at inception. Hosted the Perth launch event at Rowing WA with 25 of Perth's state and national bodies. Rob Thompson, WA Sports Federation CEO, opened the Perth launch event.
• Sport SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2019Sport SA officially partnered with ASPA at inception to deliver and promote the network nationally in South Australia. Sport SA hosted the Adelaide launch event and is the 'voice' of sport in South Australia.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SMAANZ (Sports Management Association of Australia and New Zealand): Academic and professional association for sport management researchers and practitioners in Australia and New Zealand. Comparable to ASPA in serving sport management professionals in the same region with a knowledge-sharing and networking focus.
• National Sports Convention: Australian sports industry event also operated by SportsGrid Pty Ltd, ASPA's parent. Highly comparable as a sister platform sharing the same corporate infrastructure, audience, and event-driven engagement model.
• Sport and Recreation Alliance: UK membership organisation for sport and recreation bodies, offering advocacy, networking, and member services. Comparable to ASPA in operating as a cross-sport industry association that connects and supports its members.
• Coaching Association of Canada: Canadian professional body for coaches, providing certification, professional development, and community. Comparable to ASPA in serving as a professional development organisation for individuals in the sport industry.
• CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Sport and Physical Activity Sector): UK professional body for sport and physical activity professionals, providing chartered status, training, and development. Highly comparable to ASPA as a membership-based professional association serving individuals across the sport workforce.

Regional players

• Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance: Canadian industry association for sport tourism, uniting organising committees, destinations, and industry suppliers. Comparable to ASPA in serving as an industry-association model for a national sport ecosystem outside Australia.

Emerging players

• EOSE (European Observatoire of Sport and Employment): European not-for-profit working on sport workforce development and employability. Comparable to ASPA in addressing the professional development and workforce needs of the sport industry, though focused on the European labour market.

Broad incumbents

• Sport Australia: Australian government agency responsible for sport policy and investment. Comparable to ASPA as the dominant national industry actor in Australian sport, though functionally distinct as a government funder rather than a member association.
• Sport Wales: Welsh government body for sport. Comparable to ASPA as a regional sport industry body that supports the professional infrastructure of sport in its jurisdiction.
• Sport NZ: New Zealand government body for sport and recreation. Comparable to ASPA as a major regional industry body providing leadership, resources, and community for sport professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-sports-professionals-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/ausportsprofessionals

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Professionals Association (ASPA)