The State of Intramural Sports: 2023 Program Survey
To better understand current common administrative practices and program operational structures for Intramural Sports across NIRSA, a nationwide survey was conducted in June 2023 with questions related to sports offered, registration processes, pay-to-play vs free offerings, league structures, staff training, and other operational or structural components of an IM program.
The goal of this project is to allow Intramural Sports program administrators to see how their program aligns with common practices in our field and to help identify new ways of operating that may enhance participation and engagement on their campus. Similar surveys were conducted approximately ten years ago, which will also allow us to better see how our field has evolved in the past decade.
Survey responses were presented during the State of Intramural Sports educational session at the 2023 NIRSA Intramural & Club Sports Institute in July.
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2023 Survey Results – All Respondents & by Free or Pay Programs
Survey results are listed in 6 ways: All respondents and by cost to participate (free or pay) in this document. -
2023 Survey Results – By Program Size
Survey results are listed in 6 ways: By program size (large, mid-size, small) in this document. -
2023 Survey Results – Sports Offered
An overview of sports offered in Intramural Sports programs, based on our 156 survey respondents. -
2023 Survey Summary and Notes
A summary of this year’s findings and a comparison of results between 2023, 2014, and 2009 surveys with similar questions.
- 2023 Survey Comments from Colleagues
Selected comments from fellow IM professionals on challenges & opportunities in the field and current officials training practices.
- 2023 Survey Participating Schools (156 Total)
Programs were placed in 3 groups based on student population and the number of teams in the largest IM sport.
Presentation slides from the State of Intramural Sports and the Rules are Made to Be Broken educational sessions presented at the 2023 NIRSA Intramural & Club Sports Institute will be available online on Friday, August 4.
State of Intramural Sports Webinar
David Peters, Senior Associate Director of Campus Recreation, presented an overview of the survey findings on Thursday, August 3rd. Click to view a recording of the session.
Questions of This Year’s Data or for Future Study
Have a question you would like to see part of a future State of Intramural Sports survey? Or, looking for a specific data point from this year’s results? Use the link below to share your questions and inquiries.
Pending Questions – Answers to Be Posted When Analyzed
(1) Is there a correlation between schools that are challenged with facility space and a decision to offer sports that require more players (such as 6v6 sand volleyball rather than 4v4, because the that’s more players playing at the same time in the limited space)?
Previous IM Program Survey Results
Similar surveys regarding Intramural Sports program administration and operational structures were conducted in 2014 and 2009. Please see below for PDF summaries of the data from those surveys.
- 2014 Survey Results by School Size and Free or Pay Programs
Survey results are listed in 6 ways: All respondents, by program size (large, mid-size, small), and by cost to participate (free or fee).
- 2014 Survey Summary and Notes
A comparison of results between 2014 and 2009 surveys with similar questions.
- 2014 Survey Participating Schools (159 Total)
Programs were placed in 3 groups based on student population and the number of teams in the largest IM sport.
- 2009 Survey Results by School Size and Free or Pay Programs
Survey results are listed in 6 ways: All respondents, by program size (large, mid-size, small), and by cost to participate (free or fee).
- 2009 Survey Participating Schools (82 Total)
Programs were placed in 3 groups based on student population and the number of teams in the largest IM sport.
