Youth sports were once a relatively small expense for hard-working families.
Mom or dad would pay the small registration fee, buy a pair of cleats, and celebrate the end of the season with a picnic or a pizza party. Today, for many parents, keeping a child on the field or court can mean a far bigger financial commitment, one that can stretch well beyond the cost of a uniform and equipment.
With that in mind, Congressman Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), joined youth advocates this week at the Middletown YMCA to discuss his proposed Let Kids Play Act.
The legislation would seek to prevent Wall Street from pricing children out of youth sports by banning private equity firms from investing in youth sports organizations, curbing practices that drive up costs and returning money to families who have been overcharged.
A spokesperson for Ryan’s office could not immediately provide examples of youth sports organizations in the Hudson Valley that are owned, operated or affiliated with private equity firms. Mid-Hudson News also contacted several local coaches and parents of athletes, who could not identify any clubs or travel teams in any sports affiliated with Wall Street.
However, coaches, parents and other members of the sports community agree that youth sports have become increasingly costly for athletes and their families.
“As the parent of four children who all competed at a high level, my family invested a tremendous amount of time and money in club sports over the years,” said Ricky Seipp, who coaches the Our Lady of Lourdes High School girls soccer team and Stars FC travel club. “The financial commitment can be overwhelming for many hardworking families, and I know there are children who miss out simply because the costs have become too great. I think the broader conversation about making youth sports more affordable and accessible is an important one.”
The average family now spends more than $1,000 per year on a child’s primary sport alone, rising to $1,500 when other sports and activities are included, according to a survey by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. Meanwhile, a GoBankingRates survey found that 52% of parents spend more than $1,000 per year on extracurricular activities for their children, with 12% spending more than $3,000.
Several parents told Mid-Hudson News that $3,000 can be a drop in the bucket for some sports. A mid-level competitive travel soccer program can cost families $3,000 to $5,000 per year per child when club fees, equipment and travel expenses are combined, according to parents familiar with the costs.
The Let Kids Play Act would ban private equity firms from youth sports unless they can demonstrate they have not engaged in practices the bill defines as predatory. It would require firms covered by the ban to divest their interests within two years.
The legislation would also require refunds for certain fees, hold investors financially responsible for debts and safety violations, establish a fund for youth sports scholarships and community facilities, and give states and families the ability to sue for financial losses or other harm.
“As a league, we see firsthand how rising costs across the youth sports landscape are pushing families, particularly those in lower-income urban and rural communities, away from the game,” said Max Labrenz, president of the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League. “Soccer should be one of the most accessible sports, yet the rapid growth of new programs, competitions and player pathways has created a marketplace where parents can feel pressured to spend thousands of dollars without fully understanding what they are receiving in return. These trends are especially challenging for our volunteer-run, nonprofit clubs, which work tirelessly to keep the game affordable and accessible while competing against an increasingly commercialized youth sports environment.”
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