By Hanno Sie, 4th year, Italian and Spanish
Boasting over 400 different clubs and societies, it seems that Bristol offers something for everyone. Societies are after all a key pillar of university life and for many students they provide a new community and a sense of belonging. For those who excel at their chosen sport, university sports societies offer chances to compete nationally or even internationally, and to network with alumni and clubs beyond the university. However, what many people do not fully realise is that joining sports societies is often a huge financial commitment, with the associated costs increasing drastically for many clubs in recent years.
To fully understand what is going on here, you need to break down the costs that go into being part of a sports society at Bristol. Most societies have a joining fee, the most visible of all the costs associated with joining a society. Sometimes costing up to £200-£300 at the top of the spectrum for certain club memberships, it often becomes a deciding factor for many students when considering to sign up. Although the cost of equipment can range depending on the chosen sport, one thing that remains a large expense for many students is the purchasing of society kit or 'stash' as it's commonly known, with society fleeces costing upwards of £40, T-shirts costing upwards of £30 and shorts upwards of £20. These prices often don’t include personalisation such as committee position, which further increases the price of the kit.
Travelling to both training and matches puts a strain on many people's wallets with teams making their way all over the country as far as Edinburgh to compete in BUCS matches. Whilst taking the train to Bath for a local derby game every once in a while may not initially cause problems, over time these expenses can add up and while often overlooked when initially joining, they can significantly increase the overall price of competing in sports societies.
Looking at the costs of memberships for different Bristol sports societies, it is clear to see that there can be a huge difference in spending depending on which sport you are interested in. A popular yet more high-cost sport such as Rugby has its prices range from £195 for the 'Development Squad' membership to £270 for a 'Performance' membership and finally £350 for the 1XV Squad membership. These prices do not include the cost of kit or travel, reflecting how even such a large and popular sport can possibly become unrealistic for some. For a lower-cost sport such as ultimate frisbee, a standard membership costs a flat £50 for all players, which covers all of the training during the year and helps to subsidise the costs of tournaments.
Some societies such as Men's Lacrosse offer a discounted membership for freshers compared to senior members of the club, which can help to get students involved with the sport right at the start of their Bristol career. It is important to note that for any University of Bristol sports society, an additional £25 is also added onto the initial fee, as part of the 'SEH Access Pass', which allows the university to fund BUCS events and allow sports societies to use university sports facilities such as the Indoor Sports Centre next to Senate House and the Coombe Dingle Sports Complex up in Stoke Bishop. While you only have to pay it once a year, the SEH pass remains a further cost that many students overlook when signing up to sports societies.
‘I believe that the sport societies are often unaffordable for the large majority of players. As it is often a lump sum instead of an instalment payment, it often seems too high to be able to spend that amount in one go'
Epigram spoke with Morya Wadodkar from the Bristol Squash club to hear his thoughts on the rising costs of sports societies at the University. He explained how he had noticed ‘the cost of societies in general has increased slightly’ over his time at university. This gradual rise in expenses, he suggested, ‘has potentially deterred players from even attempting trials,’ highlighting how financial barriers may discourage participation in sport societies. When asked about the affordability of sports societies in 2025, he was clear that the upfront fees can be especially daunting. ‘I believe that the sport societies are often unaffordable for the large majority of players. As it is often a lump sum instead of an instalment payment, it often seems too high to be able to spend that amount in one go,’ he said. Despite this, he acknowledged that ‘once taking into account the entire year and the ability to play a sport you love, the price may seem worth it.’
‘Due to increased costs of everything, the price of equipment and court hire has increased, leading to a mirrored change in membership prices’
However, Barney Pridmore from the Bristol Badminton club shared a more optimistic perspective. For him, the rising costs reflect wider economic trends. ‘Due to increased costs of everything, the price of equipment and court hire has increased, leading to a mirrored change in membership prices,’ he explained. Unlike Morya, he believed the societies remain good value. ‘Yes I would say that they are,’ he said, ‘in fact I would say they are a bargain for what you actually get for your money!’ Reflecting on the current state of Bristol’s sports societies, he was overwhelmingly positive. ‘I think, at least from my point of view, they are in a really healthy, successful position. The clubs that I am a part of are incredible.’
Grace Bourne
Emma Griffiths
The Student Union states that 'membership fees, events, kit and other student group costs can be prohibitively expensive for some students' and so they offer a SU Activity Hardship Fund to help ease the costs of being involved in a sports society for students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in their sport due to the costs involved. Any University of Bristol Student can apply for the fund, and you can apply for up to £200 a year. As positive this is for many, one might argue that £200 doesn’t actually cover the costs involved in being part of a sports society when taking into account travel costs, kit, joining fees and subsistence as previously mentioned.
To end, it is clear that sports societies at Bristol in 2025 can be quite the investment, and a serious talking point when it comes to the realistic cost of living for students. When arts and performance societies are in some cases a lot more affordable, it begs the question of whether sports societies will have to make sacrifices in the way that they are run in order to stay affordable for students.
Featured Image: Epigram/Hanno Sie
Do you feel like sports societies have become unaffordable?
