The results from analysis suggest that the number of hours in work has a strong and negative effect on sporting participation, suggesting support for a trade off between work and leisure. Throughout the results, time is a significant factor affecting (usually negatively) sports participation, which in general students seem disposed to – this even applies to students who previously rejected sports, but whose perception of it has now changed. Students often participate in sports in order to create new or develop existing social relationships. In addition, the study does support the theory that students participate in sport to increase their fitness. In addition to these rationalistic explanations, there is considerable evidence in the data for a strong effect of habit persistence in sports participation, or ‘sports literacy’. In short, the paper provides empirical support for a number of theories of participation. However, in contrast to much of the literature, cost of participation and preferences for competitive, organised or intensive sports do not appear to influence the overall quantity of participation.