Ranked: The AU sports teams with highest club night turnout
With BUCS games cancelled, we’ve had to find a new way to rank the AU sports teams – but who will be declared the most social?

Athletics Union (AU) sports teams are known for being competitive both on and off the field, but one argument cannot be measured by BUCS success: which sports team is the most social?
Rugby, hockey, football and netball are most frequently brought up in these arguments, but where do these teams really rank?
Well, an investigation by The Mancunion can reveal that Men’s Football ranks top, with 47 members on average attending AU nights at the Students’ Union. Netball and Men’s Rugby Union round out the top three. Few surprises there, then.
Women’s Football and Rugby Union also make it into the top 10. But the sociability of Cheerleading, Men’s Cricket and Rowing may surprise some.
Here’s the full table so you can see where your team ranks:

Simone, the President of UoM’s Gymnastics club said: “Gymnastics is a smaller club anyway in terms of members so I’m not surprised we’re further down the list, but in proportion to our member numbers quite a lot of us actually go to AU nights out (and we love it!)
“Having major AU blues as we’re always up for a boogie and a good time! Socials are also the best way for new members to get to know everyone so that’s becoming an added challenge this year.”
AU nights might now seem like a distant memory after seven months of closed nightclubs, and teams are having to find new ways to be social.
Zoom socials are becoming the norm as sports teams do all they can to welcome new members. But hopefully, we’ll be back at AU nights soon and able to declare a new ‘most social sports team’ for 2021.
These rankings are based on the numbers of people selecting each sports team when purchasing AU tickets from the Student’s Union.
Were you surprised at where your sports team ranked? Contact [email protected] with your thoughts!
Ella Robinson
More Coverage
How the destructive obsession with free speech preceded the death of Jason Arday
The death of Jason Arday reveals questions about the inconsistency by which freedom of speech is defended
‘Asylum isn’t the objective’: Sudanese students challenge UK visa ban narrative
Data obtained by the Mancunion reveals students from the four banned nationalities accounted for ~1% of asylum claims between 2020 and 2026, as affected applicants describe disrupted plans to study at Manchester
Rising demand sees nearly half of Work Experience bursary applicants rejected
As competition for graduate roles toughens, students are increasingly turning to unpaid internships and work experience, despite the limited support available from the University
Jewish students describe life on campus amid rising antisemitism in the UK
With nearly one in four students nationally reporting behaviour targeting Jewish peers, Manchester students share their experiences







