Italy “loses” 22% of player registrations
Italy has lost over 400 its adult female player registrations in the last two years, comparing data from before the COVID pandemic with the latest published information.
Published by John Birch, January 4th, 2022
2 minute read
A first indication of the effect of COVID on player numbers has reached us today from Italy where their latest player data shows a 20% drop in the number of senior player registrations (age 20+) plus a further 31% drop in 18 to 19-year-olds.
In total there are now 479 fewer adult players in the country, reducing the number of active female players from 2,163 to 1,684, a fall of 22.1%.
In addition, the number of teenage registrations has fallen even more - by 31%.
More “minis” have registered – the success and increased profile of the women’s rugby in Italy attracting over 2600 more U9 girls to the game – but unless the women and teenagers return it will be at least a decade before these girls can fill the gaps.
The data – which comes from the latest report on the league and mini-rugby activity from FIR - shows that, overall, the game in Italy lost 3,647 athletes between 6thDecember 2019 and 6thDecember 2021, a fall of 6.41%.
Unsurprisingly the number of active teams has also been affected. The game as a whole has seen the number of active teams fall from 1431 to 1053 (a 26% fall).
In women’s rugby:
- Serie A teams have fallen from 26 to 22 (-15%)- Women's Italian Cup (sevens): from 79 to 63 (-20%)- Under 18/19 teams: from 41 to 29 (-29%)- Under 16/17 teams: from 78 to 53 (-32%)- Under 14/15 teams: from 113 to 70 (-38%)
To cope with this the FIR is encouraging the creation of “tutor clubs” in the youth game, pulling together players from clubs who cannot field a team of their own.
Most unions do not publish detailed player registration data so at the moment it is impossible to gauge how much Italy’s experience is matched elsewhere.