Reasons and motives for becoming a sport official: an analysis of football, cricket, rugby union and hockey officials’ recruitment

Purpose: To identify primary reasons, motives and recruitment strategies for individuals to become sports officials, focusing on gender, sport, and age of entry comparisons. Methodology: An online survey was completed by 369 active sport officials (predominantly male), ranging in age and experience levels. The survey included officials from soccer (n = 137), cricket (n = 79), hockey (n = 55), rugby union (n = 50), and other sports (n = 48). Findings: Female officials typically begin officiating careers earlier than males. Officials cited motives as love of the game (75.9%), desire to stay involved (66.4%), and curiosity to try something new (29%), as reasons for entering officiating. Younger officials were more likely to be motivated by financial incentives. Key recruitment factors include belief in one’s potential as an official, the need for more officials, and transitioning from an athlete. Practical implications: The findings offer insights for governing bodies, suggesting tailored recruitment strategies aligning with primary motives of officials, such as love of the game and desire to stay involved. Research contributions: This study contributes to the limited existing literature by providing comparative insights into reasons behind sports officials’ recruitment, focusing on gender, sport, and entry age. Originality: This research is the first to examine diverse demographic factors influencing officials’ decisions to enter, and recruitment influences shaping this decision, providing new perspectives on this topic.