Changing non-profit sport services under public finance deficit

Leisure and sport participation, besides being intrinsically valuable, is recognised to play a fundamental role in preventing diseases, improving health, increasing social cohesion (EU, White Paper on Sport, 2007). Institutional involvement in sport is common-place in some European countries, where public authorities are considered key providers of sport and recreation services to local communities (Bergsgard et al., 2007). Despite the fact that Institutions are the owners of sport facilities, over years they have adopted a business model oriented to the externalization of the local venues’ management entrusted to non-profit associations. The management of non-profit sport services has changed fundamentally in recent times: that is the result of the evolution of national and regional legislation, the growing public spending review and the increasing competition of commercial sport (private fitness centres, global brand sport chains, etc.). Based on these premises, the paper aims to analyse the contemporary issues facing the management of non-profit sport services. The empirical exploration is framed within the Service Management paradigm (Normann, 1984; Grönroos, 1994; 2007) which offers the analytical tools to provide a meaningful knowledge of the service design and supply implemented by local sport associations.