Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) is not the first politician to criticize the rising cost of youth sports.
But he is arguably the most prominent and potentially impactful, which is why the industry should take note.
Booker — a former Stanford football player — said “youth sports in America should not be a luxury good” in a video posted to his personal X account on Saturday afternoon.
The post also had content derived from a New York Times story last fall that asked teenagers for their thoughts about youth sports costs.
Booker’s comments in full:
“This isn’t right. Youth sports in America should not be a luxury good or only available to the wealthiest in our society. Look, I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the sports I played growing up.
“We need to take on the big companies that are driving up prices for their unjust profit. Congress needs to be more aggressive and fund youth sports in our country. Kids should have an opportunity to be kids, to play, to compete, to find their path and to enjoy the benefits of sports. It’s something that is truly American that’s now being moved further and further out of the reach of most Americans. This is wrong.”
Booker is up for re-election this fall. Many expect he will run for president in 2028. Booker is also considered a contender to be the next Senate Democratic leader.
In other words: It seems unlikely this was a one-off. Booker will probably have more to say and do. So stay tuned.
Kyle S. is out of the office today, but I will shout out his 2026 prediction about lawmakers taking a head-on approach to youth sports’ accessibility and affordability issues.
Booker hinted at two possible legislative approaches/avenues in his video.
Congress providing more funding for youth sports seems pretty straightforward. The details would obviously matter a great deal, but the concept should be welcomed by all and draw strong bipartisan support.
Booker’s pointed words about “big companies” and “unjust profit” figure to be far more polarizing.
Remember: The most forceful witness at last December’s House hearing on youth sports was the American Economic Liberties Project’s Katherine Van Dyck, an FTC attorney during the Biden Administration. She railed against private equity in youth sports and called on Congress to deploy antitrust laws to curb PE’s involvement.
Booker’s comments would seem to potentially mesh with Van Dyck’s line of argument. And if he and fellow Democrats go down this road, it could have a significant impact on the youth sports industry, from media attention* to congressional hearings to federal investigations to, potentially, new laws and legal ramifications.
That approach could also find some surprising allies. The Justice Department’s antitrust enforcement under President Trump has been aggressive in markets that impact ordinary consumers.
Youth sports would be a textbook example of that — especially for a president and administration that have made sports and youth fitness key aspects of their political operation.
Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of the start of Booker’s 25-hour floor speech, the longest in Senate history. He knows how to draw attention to his causes — and it seems youth sports may be his newest one.
* — Another reminder that when the NYT or Wall Street Journal or any other prestige media outlet reports on the industry, the tent of people paying attention always gets bigger.
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