Willingness-to-volunteer versus willingness-to-pay in sports clubs: how organizational capacity affects individual decisions

Abstract

In light of increasing problems of recruiting and retaining volunteers, non-profit sports clubs might consider providing their members with an option to buy their way out of voluntary work. Using a rational choice framework, this study examines how organizational capacity of sports clubs affects members’ preferences for willingness-to-volunteer (WTV) versus willingness-to-pay (WTP). It uses data from German sports clubs (n = 228) and their members (n = 636). The member survey included a hypothetical scenario supposing that their club needs more resources because of financial difficulties (negative scenario) or service quality improvements (positive scenario). Members were presented with randomized increases in voluntary working hours and membership fees and asked whether they would prefer WTV or WTP under these conditions. The results of probit models reveal that the current voluntary workload and potential increases in voluntary working hours are positively associated with WTV, suggesting that volunteering is a stable construct. Members are more likely to prefer WTV in clubs engaging in strategic planning, while WTP is preferred in clubs that break even and employ paid staff. The findings support the role of organizational capacity, with some evidence that club members weigh benefits against costs when making these decisions.