National Governing Bodies are some of the most important organisations in sports, yet people often have little knowledge of what they do on a daily basis.

A National Governing Body of Sport (NGB) is an organisation that governs and administers a specific sport on a national scale, with the primary goals of driving participation, ensuring safety, and promoting sporting excellence.

While NGBs are expected to deliver a number of services for a nation of participants, here is a handful of examples of the key functions of an NGB:

  • Governance, Compliance, and Regulation: This involves establishing rules, regulations, and standards to maintain fair play, integrity, and ethical conduct within their sport. From defining competition formats to setting eligibility criteria, NGBs play a critical role in ensuring a level playing field for all participants.
  • Development and Promotion: NGBs design and implement various programmes and initiatives to increase participation, develop talent, and foster a lifelong passion for their sport. Through community outreach, school programs, coaching clinics, and events, NGBs strive to make their sports accessible and inclusive to all.
  • Safety and Welfare: They establish and enforce safety protocols, guidelines, and best practices to create a safe, healthy, and fun sporting environment. This often includes overseeing background checks, safeguarding policies, and education programmes to protect vulnerable people and promote ethical conduct.
  • Grassroots Development and Competitions: While NGBs do oversee elite-level programs and national teams, they play a crucial role in nurturing the grassroots level of their sports. They support clubs, leagues, and competitions, providing resources, guidance, and infrastructure to ensure the growth and sustainability of their sport at the community level. This allows NGBs to create opportunities for enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to participate, learn, and enjoy the sport. This fosters a love for the sport among new generations and strengthens its foundations by cultivating a vibrant and engaged community of participants.
  • Administration: NGBs are responsible for financial management, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement. They operate within a framework of transparency, accountability, and good governance practices to uphold the trust and confidence of their members, partners, and stakeholders.

In summary, NGBs play a multifaceted and indispensable role, contributing to the growth, success, and sustainability of their sports by fostering participation, ensuring safety, and driving excellence.

Without NGBs, sport as we know it wouldn’t exist, and we are incredibly proud that our technology supports more than 70 NGBs worldwide. The Sport:80 Platform has been specifically designed for NGBs, and boasts a wide range of functionalities to support the effective management of members, events, qualifications, governance, and much more.

To find out more about how we are supporting NGBs on a daily basis, feel free to get in touch.

Or, to see the Sport:80 Platform in action, book a free demo today!