Are sports pricing themselves out of the market?

[GatorGirl]

Life is cutthroat enough, I have a hard time understanding why someone would "pay" to be part of it, and def. pay to just watch it, but to each his own. The travel world around us is very, very small and in infancy around me, so you will have to forgive some of my annoying posts. There is absolutely no 8U, only 1 10 U(that just started this year) and 1 12U, so it is pretty small and unknown to most in my parts.

We have 3 different rec. leagues with lots of kids. I am sure more travel teams are inevitable, but just not the norm here.

GG

 

[SCDad]

I have little problem with really good players, who are financially strapped, getting a little bit of help. It is the nature of the beast. Happens in every state, and probably every sport. The folks who run these organizations are careful in their language, and as a travel softball parent it is crucial to learn what they are really saying, with the language they use.

I remember a few short four (4) years ago, a travel tourney costs $300. Maybe $400 with the premier events at $450. Now it has essentially doubled in cost. Premium events are approaching $900. Once this level gets over $1000, all bets are off.

Coaching cost have accelerated, exploded, even more than 2X, for the full timers. The group who has stayed the same is umpires. The same $50 per game (I guess) and these gentleman still do it for the love of the game. To supplement, not primary. Umpires are the best.

This is what is happening. Back then (4 years ago) most all softball ventures were part time endeavors. Everyone had a full time job elsewhere. They supplemented their income through softball, whether it be umpiring, coaching, or directing tournaments.

Now the world has changed. The older populations have lost their jobs, and have figured out they can make a full time living doing just softball. The corporate world has also figured out there is a little money to be gained through softball also. And remember, IT IS ALL COMING FROM THE PARENTS.

It is what it is. As parents, the most important thing to remember ... If your player is good enough THEY WILL FIND YOU.

My player has done just about everything against the system. This has cost her high D1 consideration. However, because she can stand in front of the best, and hit against the best, she is still being pursued by low D1, and D2 folks. They know who she is. And though Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina only want the ones who pay tremendous money to travel organizations ... the other schools will take a great talent, who can maybe play high D1, on their team all day long and try to make it work. Remember, the college commitment is for 1 year only. What do they have to lose?

But the costs are getting out of control. Know your player. Keep your wallet close, and find the best match.

 

[Rocketech1]

My player has done just about everything against the system. This has cost her high D1 consideration. However, because she can stand in front of the best, and hit against the best, she is still being pursued by low D1, and D2 folks. They know who she is. And though Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina only want the ones who pay tremendous money to travel organizations ... the other schools will take a great talent, who can play high D1, on their team all day long and try to make it work. Remember, the colleges commitment is for 1 year only. What do they have to lose?

But the costs are getting out of control. Know your player. Keep your wallet close, and find the best match.

Correct me if I am wrong, but don't the very best want to play with and against the very best and be able to go as far as their talent will take them (e.g. WCWS)? The reason the Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, etc schools want players from top flight travel ball organizations is that these players have been playing against the best travel ball teams in the nation for many years and have generally excellent coaches who develop consistently great players at the collegiate level.

 

[chinamigarden]

Sports aren't pricing themselves out of reach. Parents are. The previous team my dd played for. 7 years. We kept our fees down partly by fundraising and partly by being frugal. Every year we would have parents almost argue our costs. As in why are they so low. I would hear that they pay 3xs what we charge for their DS and he gets more unis and a sweatshirt... Really you want to pay $1000 for a sweatshirt and 3 uni. I swear plenty of parents
Love to say they spend 3 grand on junior. As if it shows their love

 

[SCDad]

Correct me if I am wrong, but don't the very best want to play with and against the very best and be able to go as far as their talent will take them (e.g. WCWS)? The reason the Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, etc schools want players from top flight travel ball organizations is that these players have been playing against the best travel ball teams in the nation for many years and have generally excellent coaches who develop consistently great players at the collegiate level.

I agree with you 100%. My comments were not to knock the top D1 schools. They definately know what they want, and are doing a tremendous job of it.

My player does not make the cut. It is in her mind, because it is not her goal in life. Again, you are correct. Just like some players do not make the cut because they are not talented enough.

However, the fun I have is I have watched my DD stand in front of pitchers who are going high D1, and watch her hit home runs against them. I see the respect my DD is given by these pitchers. It is my joy.

But no, I have never intimated that my DD is as good as these players, only to share my experience to others who are like mine in various degrees and demonstrate to them by experience that there are other options other than paying top dollar to a super travel organization when the fit is not right. We don't ... and still have opportunity knocking.

And to expand this topic further. I have personal contact with some of the top fight high D1 travel players who got what they were after when 15 years old. They then spend the rest of their time backing away from the top high dollar travel org's. Living the remaining of their teenage years in a more balanced fashion.

The high dollar travel organizations are starting to have trouble. Many of the super players back away (because of money) when older, and what these travel org's have left is a number of marginal players who have rich parents.

 

[wichita]

All I know is I could put my DD's through Ivy league college for what we have paid for travel ball, hotels, gas, hitting/pitching lessons, college camps, etc. and it is going to get worse I.E. tourney prices going up , having to stay in tourneys hotels (more pricey because tourney directors are getting kickbacks on hotels etc.). Funny how we or at least our family got into this to pay for college and it will end up barely breaking even lol

 

[wichita]

Correct me if I am wrong, but don't the very best want to play with and against the very best and be able to go as far as their talent will take them (e.g. WCWS)? The reason the Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, etc schools want players from top flight travel ball organizations is that these players have been playing against the best travel ball teams in the nation for many years and have generally excellent coaches who develop consistently great players at the collegiate level.

Ive watched some of these top flight travel ball teams and I have to say that they are not very fundamentally sound at all (not all their are exceptions) they just have top flight pitching so their fundamentals are hidden more than the lesser travel ball teams with average pitching at best so the ball is put in play more often. I've watched top tier teams and watch their players and wonder how some of these kids are going to top flight D1 schools with the tools they have just my .02

 

[SCDad]

All I know is I could put my DD's through Ivy league college for what we have paid for travel ball, hotels, gas, hitting/pitching lessons, college camps, etc. and it is going to get worse I.E. tourney prices going up , having to stay in tourneys hotels (more pricey because tourney directors are getting kickbacks on hotels etc.). Funny how we or at least our family got into this to pay for college and it will end up barely breaking even lol

Please don't do travel softball with the expectation of it paying for college.

Do it for the love of the game, and the closeness it brings to the family.

If it brings a college scholarship, great. Having these high expectations you may have takes much of the joy you should be having now, away.

 

[Elk Grove Hurricane]

Answering the original post- not yet, but it has affected interest. I know a lot of families who can't afford either the time or money for travel ball (and have kids who are capable of playing) who lose interest in the sport when their kids get to be 12. Most move on to something else.

 

[wichita]

Please don't do travel softball with the expectation of it paying for college.

Do it for the love of the game, and the closeness it brings to the family.

If it brings a college scholarship, great. Having these high expectations you may have takes much of the joy you should be having now, away.

Well believe it or not that is why we got into travel softball but the kids got way better at softball than we ever imagined and we did love it also and still do, so we figured we could kill 2 birds with one stone and get a college education out of it also well that will happen but it wont be free that's for sure.