The modern leisure-time individual wants to remain independent.

Every German belongs to two clubs: This traditional formula no longer holds true. Today, 42 percent of German citizens are neither members of clubs nor belong to political parties or professional organizations. As the BAT Leisure Research Institute determined in a representative survey, city dwellers (48%) are particularly weary of club memberships. In contrast, two-thirds of rural residents (67%) still spend a significant portion of their free time in clubs. 

According to the survey, sports clubs (25) and bowling clubs (12) topped the list of most frequently mentioned organizations, followed by trade unions (8) and automobile clubs (7). Church associations and charitable organizations each received an equally high percentage of mentions (7 each), though the latter primarily count members over 55 (12). Two classic German club organizations followed in the rankings: shooting clubs and singing clubs, each attracting only 6 percent of respondents.

Furthermore, the BAT survey shows the growing diversity of leisure associations: from the rural women's association to the allotment garden association, from the hobby club to the fan club, from the citizens' association to the citizens' initiative, the range of organized leisure activities is vast.

Are Germans becoming tired of clubs?

The survey results revealed a striking gap between formal membership and subjective club affiliation. For example, organized sports boast over 20 million members, but only 12 million German citizens aged 14 and over report being members of a sports club. Automobile clubs claim over 8 million members, but the results of the representative survey suggest only 3.4 million active members. And even trade unions register 7.7 million members, yet only 3.9 million people consider themselves union members. These discrepancies are, in most cases, explained by the passive, yet paying, role of many members.

The future of clubs: More sporadic attendance than permanent membership

Clubs will face three main challenges in the future: the general increase in leisure time, the rise in single-person households, and the declining birth rate. All three trends could negatively impact membership numbers. Increased leisure time fosters individual spontaneity and reduces the willingness to participate in organized activities. Single-person households largely abstain from club memberships. More than half of all people living alone (55%) are already not members of any club. And demographic trends are leading to a significant decline in the number of children and young people, resulting in a shortage of new members for clubs.

For Prof. Dr. Horst W. Opaschowski, the scientific director of the BAT Institute, the future therefore belongs to associations that have the character of leisure clubs – with more openness and less rigid organizational structures, with more flexibility and less obligation to become a member. Sporadic and time-limited memberships will be in demand: sports and fan clubs, pub teams and hobby associations, cultural, social and political associations in which one can participate actively for a limited time, but does not have to commit permanently.