Creating $1 Billion of New Investment in Sport

Australia’s sporting system is at a turning point. Traditional funding sources; government grants, sponsorships, and community contributions, are under growing strain. Cost blowouts on major infrastructure projects, inequities in the way funds are distributed across different sports, and the rising cost of children’s participation are all exposing challenges in the current model. At the same time, the opportunity for sport to drive economic, community, and health outcomes has never been greater.

There are also encouraging signs of what’s possible when funding innovation works. Rugby Australia has recently cleared its post-pandemic debt through the financial uplift of the British & Irish Lions tour. And grassroots organisations like the Manly-Warringah Gymnastics Club are showing how to generate $5.15 million via a public–private partnership to build a state-of-the-art centre of excellence.

Against this backdrop, the 2025 NSC Sports Investment Summit, will bring together leaders from sport, government, and finance on 25–26 November in Sydney to explore how Australia can unlock $1 billion of new investment over the next decade.

Built for sport administrators, CEOs, government leaders, and financiers, this summit isn’t just a conference – it’s a marketplace of ideas and partnerships, where strategy meets capital and the future of Australian sport funding will be shaped.

As part of the 2025 NSC Sports Investment Summit, we are also proud to partner with the Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS), the national peak body for sport since 1976. CAS was established to advance the interests of the Australian sports community and give the sector a united voice in discussions with government and key stakeholders. For nearly five decades, CAS has championed the recognition of sport’s social, economic, and health benefits while advocating for policies that improve participation, community wellbeing, and the contribution of the sport and leisure industry to the Australian economy.

Ned Coten, President of CAS, said “For almost fifty years CAS has worked to give sport a collective voice and ensure its value is recognised at the highest levels of government and across the community. The challenges sport faces today, from funding pressures to rising costs for families make it more important than ever that we come together with industry leaders to shape new solutions. The Sports Investment Summit provides an ideal platform to advance those conversations and to ensure Australian sport continues to thrive.”

Martin Sheppard, founder of the NSC Sports Investment Summit, says “Australian sport stands at a crossroads. The ambition to unlock $1 billion in new investment is real, but it will only happen if sport, government, and business come together to think differently and act boldly. This summit provides the platform for those high-stakes conversations and strategic partnerships that will ensure sport in this country is sustainable, impactful, and future-ready.”