Contents:

1. 📊 Innovating Aussie sport alongside The Australian Sports Commission

2. ⚽ Train with a Matilda - September School Holiday Camp Host Availability

3. 💻 Digital Solutions Designed For Schools: EWS

4. 💰 Grant Releases - What You May Have Missed

NEWS
Innovating alongside the Australian Sports Commission to tackle sports biggest problem

PitchUp x Australian Sports Commission - State of Play - Research June 2026

This research was undertaken as part of PitchUp's place in the inaugural cohort of The Park, the Australian Sports Commission's innovation hub, which pairs sport-technology companies with the sector to solve challenges bigger than any single sport.

When you survey people who love sport enough to answer a survey about it, you expect good news. We didn't get it.

Across 457 responses: players, parents, coaches, club admins, councils and governing bodies, the average ease of simply finding a place to train or play came in at 4.4 out of 10. Nearly half rated it in the difficult half of the scale, and tellingly, nobody scored it above a 7. The demand is obvious. The supply, somehow, is not.

FINDING 01: The same two walls, everywhere

Two barriers surfaced again and again, no matter who we asked or how we framed it: cost and availability. Players run into limited availability at preferred times (59%) and the cost of hire (54%). Zoom all the way out to the whole system, and cost becomes the single most-named barrier in the country (67%). Ask where demand and supply break apart, and pricing leads once more (55%). It's the rare finding that holds across the community, from a parent chasing a Tuesday training slot to a policymaker modelling participation.

FINDING 02: A paradox on a locked field

Here's the finding that re-frames the whole problem. A third of respondents (33%) say there are under-used facilities sitting in their own area. At the very same time, 44% have run into restrictions on community access. The grounds aren't missing, they're locked. This isn't only a build-more story; it's an unlock-what-already-exists story, and that's a far faster, cheaper fix.

FINDING 03: Discovery is stuck in 2005

So how do people find venues today? 88% rely on a club or association; word of mouth is next. Online search, the first move for almost everything else in our lives… accounts for just 10%. Sport's facilities have no shop window. If you're not already on the inside, you simply can't see what's there.

FINDING 04: The market is already ready

We described a national venue marketplace and asked who would actually use one. Only 3.2% said they wouldn't engage under any circumstances, which means 97% would, on the right terms. Those terms are clear and reasonable, and every system leader we surveyed said better facility data would sharpen their funding, planning and participation decisions.

This is the gap we're built to close.

PitchUp turns invisible, locked and under-used facilities into bookable, fairly-priced spaces, with the governance and trust the sector is asking for. The fields are already there. We're building the access.

About this research: Based on 457 responses to PitchUp's “State of Play” questionnaire (June 2026), conducted through The Park — the Australian Sports Commission's inaugural innovation hub for sport-sector technology. Respondents span players, parents, coaches, club and venue operators, and system-level decision-makers. The sample skews toward New South Wales and hockey communities, so figures reflect an engaged cross-section of Australian sport rather than a nationally representative sample. Percentages are calculated among respondents shown each question.

NEWS
Train with a Matilda ⚽️ | September school holidays camp host opportunity for schools

This September, we're bringing Chloe Logarzo, Matildas midfielder, two-time Olympian, one of Australia's most decorated women's footballers, directly to schools in Sydney and Melbourne. Three days. On your pitch. Coaching your students.

Real coaching. Small groups. Individual feedback. The kind of access that changes how a young player sees themselves and what they think is possible.

We have a small number of school hosting spots available for the September school holidays. PitchUp handles ticketing, payments and registrations. Your school brings the students. Chloe brings the football.

If you're a school Principal, Head of Sport, or PE coordinator who wants to bring this opportunity to your community, we'd love to talk. Let's help the next generation of players chase their dreams.

To register your interest in hosting this camp at your school, please complete the EOI form below.

Helping schools create opportunities through sport.

Every PitchUp activation starts with a school. Our platform makes it simple for schools to open their facilities to the community by managing bookings, compliance, payments and hire administration in one place. The result? More participation, additional revenue, and unique experiences like our Train with a Matilda holiday camp.

Interested in becoming a PitchUp partner school?

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Digital Solutions Designed For Schools: EWS

Education Web Solutions, helps schools tell their story. Specialising exclusively in school websites, photography, videography and digital media, their team partners with schools to create engaging online experiences that strengthen community connections and showcase what makes every school unique. From website design and ongoing support to stunning visual content, Education Web Solutions makes your school's digital presence simple, professional and impactful. Visit their website to find out more.

GRANTS
What You Might Have Missed 

Grants are a great way to contribute to school and community fundraising. It’s important to know what to look for, where to look and be prepared! PitchUp has put together resources for grant applications and will continue to compile these resources in each newsletter edition to make sure you don’t miss anything.

PitchUp Grant updates will cover:
- Public School Grants
- Private School Grants
- Education Grants
- Grants for sporting clubs

1. NSW | Preschools on Non-Government School Sites Program

Funding is available to build or upgrade preschools across at least 50 non-government school sites in NSW, spanning both independent and Catholic schools.

The program is designed to expand access to quality preschool education for families across the state — particularly in high-growth communities where demand continues to rise.

Eligible schools must:
• Provide primary education (primary or composite K–12 schools)
• Be located in high-growth areas
• Be assessed with consideration to socio-economic status, student demographics, and classification as a special purpose school

This initiative is focused on strengthening early education infrastructure where it’s needed most — supporting growing communities and improving access for young learners across NSW.

Applications close: Wednesday, 30 Sep 2026
Get more info here

2. NSW | Facilities Fund

Delivers targeted investment into community football facilities across NSW to strengthen participation and improve the AFL experience at every level.

Clubs can apply for funding to deliver projects that grow the game and enhance local infrastructure.

The objectives of the NSW Facilities Fund are to:

• Increase venue capacity and improve supporting infrastructure
• Build new ovals and expand capacity in high-growth communities
• Deliver inclusive, accessible facilities — with a strong focus on female participation
• Strengthen venues that support talent pathways, umpiring and volunteers
• Foster partnerships to improve the quality and reach of the AFL venue network
• Provide recovery support for facilities impacted by natural disasters

This fund is about building better places to play — now and into the future.

Eligible to: Government, education, community Groups, sporting Clubs, businesses

Applications close: Friday, 30 Oct 2026
Get more info here

3. VIC | Breathing New Life into Local Sports Facilities Program

Funding is available to support the renewal, upgrade, and revitalisation of local sports facilities across Victoria, helping communities improve access to safe, modern, and inclusive sporting infrastructure.

The program is focused on breathing new life into ageing or underutilised community sport assets — strengthening participation opportunities and ensuring local facilities better meet the needs of growing populations.

This initiative supports the ongoing development of grassroots sport by improving facility quality, accessibility, and long-term usability across the state.

Eligible applicants may include:

• Local councils and shires

• Sporting clubs and associations

• Organisations responsible for managing community sporting facilities

Projects typically focus on upgrades, renewals, and improvements to existing infrastructure that enhance participation outcomes and community use.

This program forms part of Victoria’s broader commitment to strengthening grassroots sport and ensuring local communities have access to high-quality facilities.

Timing: Funding rounds and application windows are released periodically — check the program page for current opportunities and updates.

Get more information here

4. VIC | Basketball Victoria Facility Planning Grant

Funding is available to support early-stage planning for basketball facility projects across Victoria, helping associations and organisations develop the evidence, design, and strategic groundwork needed for future infrastructure delivery.

The program is focused on strengthening the pipeline of basketball facilities by investing in feasibility, master planning, and project readiness activities that respond to growing participation demand across the state.

This initiative recognises the increasing pressure on indoor sporting infrastructure and aims to ensure future facility development is well-planned, sustainable, and aligned with community needs.

Eligible applicants include:

• Basketball Victoria member associations and organisations

• Eligible community sport organisations involved in basketball facility development planning

Projects may include feasibility studies, master planning, concept development, business case preparation, and other strategic planning activities that support future capital works.

This program is designed to improve the quality and readiness of basketball infrastructure projects across Victoria, ensuring communities are better positioned to deliver modern, fit-for-purpose facilities.

Funding: Up to $50,000 per grant (limited number of grants available)
Applications: Opening soon — check program page for updates

Get more information here