Youth sports’ hottest topic is not going anywhere — and stay-to-play could have big impacts on the industry.
The Let Kids Play Act and various viral media reports have drawn the bulk of the attention so far. But the federal lawsuits against Black Bear Sports Group and Team Travel Source distill all the various narratives and talking points into neater packages — and with higher, more tangible stakes than a long-shot bill.
The fact that major players in the space are engaging in the conversation after almost all have sat out the LKPA discourse signals as much.
First, on the Black Bear front: Former Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, a partner at Greenberg Traurig and BBSG’s counsel, reiterated the hockey company denies all claims in the lawsuit and plans to vigorously fight the lawsuit brought against it.
“There’s certainly nothing illegal about stay-to-play,” he told Buying Sandlot.
“The only thing that would be illegal if it was not transparent. On the websites of all of these tournaments it says the tournament will get a rebate for kids staying there. People know it up front. The lawsuit it says it’s ‘deceptive, unconscionable and unfair.’ But I think it’s the exact opposite of that. It’s transparent, it enhances the experience and it’s completely fair to every kid on every team from wherever they come. Everybody plays under the same rules.
“As long as it’s being done with transparency and it’s being done to the benefit of the tournament, its teams and its players, then there’s a reason everyone is doing it. It’s a good thing.”
Gansler said Black Bear anticipated the suit after learning attorneys were reaching out to families to solicit plaintiffs (a common-but-scrutinized practice in class action suits that is still ongoing).
"They got three families," he said. "I think that speaks volumes to the merits of the lawsuit, and the fact that families do enjoy the way in which these tournaments are run.”
Fastbreak AI has also weighed in on the debate, publishing a lengthy rundown of its “Stay-to-Save” approach. The management platform advocates for stay-to-play, but criticizes "a broader pattern of distrust that had been building for years."
Fastbreak acquired housing firm GroupHousing earlier this year and has said it aims to have 1M hotel nights on its platform by next year. Its comments come after Otto Sport AI CEO Luke Zaientz made the case for transparent stay-to-play and its benefits in a recent interview with Buying Sandlot.
"Transparent, market-rate stay-to-play works," the Fastbreak manifesto says. "Deceptive stay-to-play is on borrowed time."
Block rates should “ideally” run 15-20% below market weekend pricing
Deadlines, policies, terms should be clearly outlined in registration information
All events should have commuter exemptions for local participants
Hotel loyalty redemptions should be available inside blocks
Military, government officials on official orders should be exempt
Organizer rebates should fund “documented event costs”
Families should get live public rate comparisons before booking
Fastbreak said organizers will still receive rebates, but all families pay less than the market rate when they book through its platform.
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