Australian Sports culture

Women had a higher rate of attendance at cultural venues and events than men (88% compared with 83%). However, going to watch a sporting event, whether it be the local hockey club grand final or something on a larger scale like the AFL, was more popular with men (49%) than with women (37%).

SPORTS PARTICIPANTS ENJOY CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

The 2009-10 ABS survey of Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation found that 11.1 million people aged 15 years and over (64%) participated in sport and physical recreation at least once in the 12 months prior to interview.

The participation and attendance surveys conducted by the ABS indicate that people who participated in sport and physical recreation went to both cultural and sporting events, more so than non-participants. In 2009-10, the ABS survey found that 10.3 million people (93%) who had participated in sport and physical recreation, had attended at least one cultural event in the previous 12 months. This dispels the notion that sports participants are only interested in or have time for sports. People who participated in sport and physical recreation had higher attendance rates at cultural venues and events than non-participants (93% and 74% respectively). Women who participated in sport and physical recreation had slightly higher attendance rates at cultural venues and events (94%) than men (91%). Overall, participants had higher attendance rates at libraries, art galleries and the cinema than non-participants of sport and physical recreation.

ATTENDANCE AT CULTURAL VENUES AND SPORTING EVENTS, By participant/non-participant - 2009-10

The majority of people who participated in sport and physical recreation (5.7 million or 52%) had attended at least one sporting event as a spectator in 2009-10, compared with non-participants (28%). Male participants had a higher attendance rate as spectators (59%) than women (45%).