Geography, demography and sport club membership in Ontario, Canada

Purpose We explore the implications of geography and demography for community sport organizations in Ontario, Canada. Specifically, we do so via two empirical research questions (1) what is the geographic distribution and patterning of membership?, (2) does geographically based social marginalization impact patterns of membership? If so, how?Design We used a case study methodology and three datasets for our analysis (membership data, Statistics Canada census of population data, and Public Health Ontario’s Marginalization Index). Data were geocoded and analyzed using descriptive statistics, measures of association, binary logistic regression models, and QGIS-based spatial visualization. The dataset contains members of the Provincial Sport Organization rather than the full eligible population of Ontario, and thus statistical analysis examines patterns within registered membership.Findings Findings generally show strong relationships between geography, especially geographically valanced marginalization, and membership patterns within the case study.Practical Implications Findings illustrate how geography and demography shape club membership and can inform sport development initiatives.Research Contribution Our research employs the novel use of geo-spatial analysis on club membership data in Ontario.Originality: Our analysis illustrates the utility of population level data in understanding broader social and structural factors that shape sport development and ultimately membership patterns in diverse geographical contexts.