Article written by FSQ’s Director of Sport, Matt Young
The Canadian Sport Governance system is no longer effective for many reasons. Here are the top 5:
- It FAILS to Serve Its Primary Consumer: The model prioritizes the self-preservation of those in administrative positions over the needs of its primary consumers—players, parents, coaches, administrators and volunteers. As administrators focus on maintaining their roles and navigating internal hierarchies, the true focus on supporting participants in sport becomes secondary. This leads to decisions driven by internal politics rather than the actual needs of those the system is meant to serve.
- Fragmentation of Focus: Each layer (from the Olympic Federation down to community schools) has its own priorities, making it difficult to align on common goals. With so many competing opinions across the organizations, consensus on key issues is hard to achieve, often leading to inaction or delayed decision-making.
- Bureaucratic Inefficiency: Multiple layers of bureaucracy create slow processes, adding red tape and inefficiencies. This makes it hard for local organizations to receive timely support or for parents and coaches to navigate the system, thus hampering effective service delivery.
- Lack of Clear Leadership: With no obvious single leader or accountable entity, responsibilities are easily passed along the chain. This “passing the buck” results in a lack of ownership over problems, which means issues can remain unresolved for extended periods.
- Resource Strain on Lower Levels: As funding and resources are often top-heavy, organizations at the grassroots level, such as local clubs and community schools, struggle to get the support they need. This leaves volunteers and administrators overburdened, affecting the quality of service provided to athletes and families.
While players, coaches, and clubs have become more sophisticated, the sport governance model remains entrenched in an outdated, bureaucratic framework. Meanwhile, companies worldwide are streamlining operations, optimizing HR, and cutting inefficiencies to become more agile and responsive to both consumer demands and shareholder expectations. In the current system, the only individuals at risk of losing their jobs are those whose roles have become redundant—or those failing to deliver on key metrics such as attracting, retaining, and growing their organizations (if these critical metrics were even tracked)
The first sport organization courageous enough to overhaul this rigid structure AND PRIORITIZE DELIVERING DIRECT TO CONSUMER VALUE, will be at the forefront of re-imagining the entire sport ecosystem. They will set a new benchmark for efficiency, accountability and consumer satisfaction, fundamentally transforming how sport is governed and experienced at every level.
The question is not IF this transformation has to or will occur, but WHO will lead it and WHEN it will happen. Tick-tock sport leadership. ⏱