The sport volunteering irony: correlates of the financial compensation of volunteers in non-profit sport clubs

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the financial compensation and its correlates among
volunteers in non-profit sport clubs.
Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was distributed online among sport clubs in Austria. Data
were collected in person in clubhouses or at a distance (n 5 1,840 volunteers). The studied correlates include
voluntary roles and member characteristics, motivation to volunteer, socio-demographics and the perceived
club’s orientation towards volunteering. The correlates are entered into a set of regression models examining the
likelihood of receiving financial compensation and, for the sub-sample of recipients, the extent of financial
compensation.
Findings – The results show that 12.9% of volunteers receive financial compensation, with average annual
compensation being about V96. The regression analyses indicate that contribution to the provision of the club’s
sport programs, extrinsic motivation and belonging to a more economically vulnerable income group increase
the likelihood of receiving compensation and the level of compensation payment. On the contrary, intrinsic
motivation and an understanding that volunteering is inherent to clubs reduce the likelihood and level of
compensation.
Originality/value – This study provided initial empirical evidence of a phenomenon that should not really exist,
i.e. the compensation of volunteers who are, by definition, rather unpaid workers. By describing the
phenomenon and identifying correlates, this work demonstrates the irony of sport volunteering. It advances the
literature by proposing a theoretical underpinning and a set of explanations for the conditions under which
volunteers are more likely to claim compensation payments. In light of tax claims related to paid work, it gives
insights about a delicate, under-researched topic.