P LACES
THE FUTURE IS MULTI-USE MUGAs are becoming an increasingly popular choice for those wanting to provide sports facilities that cater for a wide variety of users.
F
or the past 20 years, multi-use games areas (MUGAs) have grown in popularity as a costeffective solution for community sports facilities, especially
when the brief is to offer a range of sports in a limited space. It is their flexibility – the ability to cater for a number of activities – in particular which makes them so attractive to
gone unnoticed when it comes to those
those looking to add a new element to their
looking to fund sports facilities, either.
outdoor sports provision. In many cases,
The Football Foundation, for example, is
there is also a business case for MUGAs.
looking to provide dedicated funding for
Up and down the country, venue operators
small-sided sports facilities in 2022. While
have turned them into revenue generators.
each project receiving investment will
Due to their variable size – ranging from smaller, single-court areas to larger, multi-court ones – they are a great
need to cater for football, the focus is on creating facilities for multi-sport use. The reason why the Football Foundation
option when it comes to converting small
plans to spend money on facilities which
spaces into dedicated, durable sporting
will cater for non-football activities too, is
areas. Their smaller size also means
that it is looking to engage disadvantaged
that the cost-base is less than that of a
communities and to provide facilities
full-size 3G football or rugby pitch.
in areas that need them the most.
CHANGING TIDES
sports minister Nigel Huddleston (for
The opportunity offered by MUGAs to
full interview, see pp. 22-26), hinted that
create vibrant hubs of activity where
MUGAs could feature in the government’s
people play a variety of sports has not
forthcoming sports strategy, which is
28
SPORTSNATION.ORG.UK JAN/FEB 2022
Separately, speaking to SportsNation,
