Life in the Mass Participation Sports Event Industry in WA
A piece written by AMPSEA board member David Budge…
COVID has impacted us all in different ways and talking with colleagues, there’s certainly been moments since that historic day back in March 2020 when those of us working in the Mass Participation Sports Event Industry were collectively pondering our career choices. But, we’re a tough bunch, competitive to the core, and determined to pull through this and return to ‘the new normal’. There you go, I said it!
Even pre COVID, living and operating a business out of the World’s most remote capital city, Perth Western Australia, has its advantages and its disadvantages. As a parochial West Aussie, the former well and truly outweighs the latter. When it comes to global pandemics impacting the entire world, from my experience, the same can be said - the positives still take the win, but it’s been a bumpy ride. I’m happy living here, doing what I do.
Despite all the uncertainty, mass gathering restrictions, border closures, vaccination requirements, rescheduling, the list goes on… WA hasn’t been the worst place in the world to live or work during COVID. If you’re ok with not being able to travel interstate and overseas, or getting your annual trip to Bali in, life has been relatively normal. Our state is resource rich, if you’ve never been to the Pilbara region in Australia, put it on your to-do list, it’ll give you an appreciation of what underpins our national export economy. Sadly though, the fortunate life of the mineral resource industry hasn’t extended to the Mass Participation Sports sector. In fact, in some way it’s contributing to some of the challenges that lay ahead.
Our illustrious leader, Premier McGowan (love him or hate him), has been vigorously protective of our resource sector. Much of his broader policy and decision making has focused on making sure it remains business as usual. Completely understandable, it generates Billions and Billions of dollars that flows through the whole state and national economies. So how has that impacted on the Mass Participation Sports events industry?
Border Closures. It did the job of keeping COVID out right up until the borders opened, but conducting an event that relies on inbound travellers has been all but impossible for the past two years. With the border barricades up, annual events including Triathlons, Mountain Biking and Trail Runs that historically bring millions of dollars to regional tourism have mostly been cancelled, if they have gone ahead, they’ve had to rely on local participants, which dramatically impacts on profitability and profile. Still, it is better than nothing, there are many places in the world that couldn’t hold any events. Not only has the border situation affected the ability to attract competitors, but events run and managed by organisations based outside of the state haven’t happened due to the inability of staff to get here. Apparently an Event Manager isn’t recognised as an essential service, so access denied.
Rising cost of goods and services. Notwithstanding the global price increases for commodities like fuel and technology which have hit our bottom lines, the governments financial stimulus packages that have been afforded to the building, construction and resource sector have resulted in a boom for them, to a point where they are struggling to keep up with demand. The knock-on effect of this has driven prices up across the board. In simple terms, if you want it, you have to pay for it - it’s a sellers’ market. If you’re sharing suppliers with these sectors you’re wearing the pain of the hefty price hikes as well, there’s no mining sector price and mass participation price, it’s one price for all. Just as we are seeing a bit of light at the end of the tunnel and attempting to recover from a couple of lean years, we have been hit with 30% year on year increases in the cost of critical infrastructure and services, not something that can be absorbed or passed on to an already price sensitive market.
Staffing. The combination of border closures, mandated vaccination requirements and the lowest unemployment rates since records have been kept have impacted on staffing for the “big sectors”. In short, it’s a buyers’ market. Minimum wages are a thing of the past. The mining sector are actively recruiting with promises of huge financial rewards and benefits, no experience necessary. The knock on effect for the hospitality, tourism and event industries, that haven’t been able to offer regular employment due to all of the above is it’s been a real struggle to fill positions.
So, with all of these challenges, circling back to my opening comments about questionable career choices, you’d be right to ask “surely there’s an easier way to earn a dollar in WA”? There probably is. Digging holes in the ground whilst being covered in red dirt, in 45 degree heat for 12 hours a day sounds glamorous, but it’s not for me. Thankfully a lot of others think the same way, and that’s what makes this industry - whether you live in the world’s most remote capital city or not - such a rewarding enjoyable occupation. There’s no better feeling than being in the middle of the nervous energy of a start line, watching everyday people battle to conquer their mass participation sport challenge or wandering through the recovery area hearing all the unique stories about how they got the job done.
What’s life without challenges? If COVID’s taught us anything, it’s “we’ll find a way!”
Dave Budge.
