Cricket Scotland welcomes £40M sport funding boost in Scottish Government budget
Edinburgh: Cricket Scotland has issued a statement welcoming the Scottish Government’s Budget 2024, which includes a £40 million uplift for sport—a significant step toward reversing years of standstill funding.
The announcement comes after sustained advocacy from Cricket Scotland and other national governing bodies through the Running on Empty campaign, which highlighted the urgent need for increased public investment in sport and physical activity.
“We welcome the Scottish Government’s announcement in Tuesday’s Budget to provide a financial uplift of £40M for sport,” Cricket Scotland stated.
Campaign success after years of underfunding
“Over the last year, we have worked closely with other governing bodies to persuade the Government to honour its commitment to double annual funding to sport. The Running on Empty campaign has focused on demonstrating the impact this effective cut in funding has had on our ability to operate.”
The campaign argued that rising operational costs and a lack of real-term increases in funding had left many sporting bodies struggling to sustain programmes, community outreach, and performance pathways.
Sport’s role in public health and international profile
Cricket Scotland highlighted the wider value of sport in its response to the budget announcement:
“This announcement shows the Government recognises how important sport is to public health, community programmes, and showcasing Scotland on a global stage.”
With international fixtures, growing grassroots participation, and Scotland’s increased presence on the world cricket stage, the organisation noted the critical importance of sustained investment in the years ahead.
Call for long-term investment strategy
While the £40M funding boost was welcomed, Cricket Scotland emphasized that continued commitment is essential:
“Sports organisations including ourselves have faced enormous financial challenges in light of rising costs and standstill Government funding. This announcement will help address some of those issues, but we need to ensure that not only is it followed through but that the collective voice calling for proper long-term levels of investment continues to be heard.”
Cricket Scotland’s statement underlines the need for consistent and predictable funding to enable strategic planning and to deliver benefits to communities, health outcomes, and Scotland’s reputation in international sport.
