Keeping citizens fit is something the Glasgow city council puts a lot of resources into. This is why there are many sports facilities across the city, accessible by the public for relatively low prices. Glasgow is also a city very fond of watching sports - the public transport systems become busy whenever a local football match occurs. If you want to know how to navigate the options for personal exercise and club membership, as well as opportunities to watch local sports, then read this article.
Sports activities and gyms in Glasgow
Many gyms and sports facilities in Glasgow are subsidised by Glasgow Life, a large charitable organisation that delivers cultural and leisure services. This means access to sports facilities and classes can be quite cheap. For example, it costs nothing to use one of Glasgow's 40 public tennis courts if you have a free 'Pay As You Go' Glasgow Club card. A 9-hole golf course can cost £7.50 per session. And badminton costs around £6 per play. However, these are just a small selection of examples. To explore most of the sporting opportunities in Glasgow, Glasgow Life has a useful search tool.
There are dozens of gyms in Glasgow. Membership prices vary, with most gyms giving cheap membership for off-peak hours (check specific gyms for details). For example, PureGym offer membership to their eight gyms across Glasgow for £18.99 a month, or £9.99 for limited hours of use. The Gym Glasgow City comes in at £13.99 for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, access to a single gym. Most gyms in Glasgow charge a small joining fee (£5-10) when you sign up to a monthly membership payment plan.
Gyms affiliated with universities offer discounted rates for their students. Access to the University of Glasgow gyms and related sports facilities costs £125 per year for students, and £260 for non-student members.
All over Glasgow, in or out of the gym, there is a diverse range of classes on offer. From martial arts to rock climbing, there will be something in Glasgow to keep you active. And if you have children, there are many free family swimming classes at pools run by Glasgow Club.
Watching sports in Glasgow
Just like the rest of the UK, football (or soccer) is the most popular sports in Glasgow. And the games of Glasgow's highest performing football team, Rangers, are the most popular spectator events in the local sporting scene. Getting your hands on tickets to see Rangers play at Ibrox Stadium (50,000 seats) will cost you around £15 per game. Season tickets can be purchased for around £500 if you are a real football fanatic.
Glasgow also has a Rugby team, an Ice Hockey team and the number one Scottish Basketball team, all with their own sporting arenas. Tickets to these sports tend to be more expensive and less popular. But if you're a fan, Glasgow's state of the art facilities would not leave you disappointed after seeing a game unfold.
For those who aren't fans of local Scottish sport, many pubs across Glasgow show national and international sporting events. Even if you're not a fan, however, watching a football game featuring Scotland in a Glasgow pub is a great experience. The Rangers football club even has several pubs dedicated to supporting the team.
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