AU to Phase Out Multi-Sport Discount

The St Andrews Students’ Association Athletic Union (AU) confirmed on Monday 28 September it is reining in their decision to scrap the multi-sport discount after 23 student sport clubs protested against the move. The AU will instead “phase in this change.” There will be a 75% discount on facility fees this year, then 50% next year, then 25%, and by 2029-30 there will be no discount at all for multi-sport players.

Apologising for “communication that was not shared as widely or clearly as it should have been,” the AU admitted in Monday’s email that they did not allow “sufficient opportunity for the wider student voice to be heard.” They have also confirmed that anyone who has already overpaid for their multi-sport membership can now claim a refund at the desk in the sports centre.

So, how did this backlash come about, and what caused this U-turn to happen?

The eagle-eyed amongst those who play multiple sports would have noticed that joining two or more clubs this year became significantly more expensive.

Previously, if you bought memberships for rugby and football — for example — you'd only pay the AU's facilities fee once. In 2026 that fee is £118/year. Under the previous arrangement, you paid it for each sport you play — two sports meant paying this fee twice whilst still using the same gym, pitches, and changing rooms as before.

As with a lot of change, this was done quietly. Written at the bottom of a long AU email in the middle of July, students were informed, "we are removing multi-sport membership."

With many students not staying up to date with their inboxes throughout summer, at this year's Sports Fayre, The Saint found that many club presidents had missed the memo.

They didn’t miss it for long. 23 of the 53 clubs listed for 2026-27 opposed the change, and all 23 turned up to a meeting on Thursday 24 September to attempt to overturn it.

Even phased in, the change could be damaging for some clubs. The St Andrews Futsal Club most plainly demonstrates this issue. Over 80% of the club play football in addition to futsal. Once the discount disappears, they may not have enough members to operate, which could force the Club, alongside others, to disaffiliate and find their own cheaper ways to train and play. President of Futsal, Max Bean, has spearheaded the protest which led to Monday’s U-turn.

“My total membership fee [under the previous arrangement] was £700, I was in disbelief when I saw the card machine,” Bean, a member of Football, Futsal, and Climbing clubs, told The Saint before Monday’s announcement. The figures raise serious questions over future financial accessibility in sport at St Andrews.

The Saint contacted the AU to understand the reasoning behind the original change. Their response explained that the previous system was "no longer sustainable or fair."

The AU suggested their ‘Try Sport Tuesdays’ would help, as students can try a different sport for an hour a week. If you go along on a Tuesday and try, for example, fencing — which you may love — that doesn't make fencing more accessible. Afterwards there's no cheaper way to keep playing without eventually paying hundreds for the year. It’s not access, it’s a taster, and it does nothing to ease the financial burden that will be shouldered by hundreds of team members. While the reduction in fees this year will help with this issue, it will not support those wanting to play in their first year in three years’ time.

“These changes were developed following consultation with the former Athletic Union President and student members of the Executive Committee,” shared the AU in a statement to The Saint.

According to the 23 opposing clubs, the AU did not ask any of the 2026-27 sport presidents or those from the previous year, and each of these clubs would have opposed it if they'd known.

While many clubs may be celebrating Monday’s announcement, the change has been delayed, not reversed. By 2029/30 the multi-sport discount will be gone entirely, and the next generation of St Andreans will pay the full cost.

Photo Credit: STA