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- Stunning Youth Sports Survey Results
This is Buying Sandlot — the only newsletter that focuses solely on the business of youth sports.
Before we get started, a special welcome to all of our new members, including the executives at TeamSnap, LeagueApps, GameChanger, and Hudl. We’re all friends here.
In the email today:
đź“Š Going Deep On A Stunning Youth Sports Survey
You know those sappy "Going pro in something other than sports" commercials they play during March Madness?
Most parents disagree, according to a fascinating New York Life survey. And they are shelling out big bucks to back up their belief.
Survey says!
The average American family spends $3,000(!) on youth sports annually
64% say those costs have risen in “recent years”
20% say they had to stop or reduce participation in a sport due to rising costs
79% say youth sports are “expensive”
76% say they have taken some kind of action to offset these costs— including: reducing spending in other areas (38%), actively participating in fundraising (29%), or volunteering (21%)
These numbers are largely in-line with and expand upon a recent Project Play survey, which found that the average American family spends ~$1k per year on an individual child’s top sport and ~$1.5k overall on their sports— with households with income over $100k per year spending $2,300. Again, one child.
But why?
Yes, parents cite child interest, social benefits and health benefits (in that order) as reasons for the continued investment.
However, the real reason may be in the following results from New York Life:
75% of parents believe their kid can play professionally
83% think their kid can play in college
78% are doing something to increase the odds of high-level play/scholarship
49% are confident their kid will get a college scholarship
Parents are putting their money where their mouth, er, brain is.
38% of parents say they have cut back on personal spending and 25% have dipped into emergency funds and savings accounts to pay for youth sports.
The survey also found an unspecified number of parents have taken on second jobs to afford youth sports.
My take:
Survey says ... these respondents are almost assuredly delusional.
The most recent NCAA and NFHS data says 6% of high school athletes play college sports (the percentage is lower for Division-1) and under 1% of NCAA athletes are drafted into a professional sport.
That said ... playing college sports and professional sports may soon be a distinction without a difference.
While the particulars remain in the air, college athletes will be paid billions by their schools directly, plus NIL opportunities (which can also come at the high school and youth levels, since NCAA eligibility is no longer a concern).
So, there will be more opportunities to earn serious compensation. But enough to alter the steep odds? Only slightly.
We’ll have a separate deep dive into the expanding TAM of “pro sports” jobs in college, likely next week.
🏢 Youth Sports Facilities News
They have big ideas in Idaho, but it remains to be seen if the big bucks to execute them exist.
A 114-acre, $120 million public-private youth sports complex has been proposed in Kuna, a suburb of Boise.
The project would be a joint venture between the city and True Gritt Youth Sports, a non-profit run by David McMenomey -- an internet marketing executive who received a "divine calling" to build the facility while attending a Christian business convention. Former big leaguer Brandon Barnes is also attached.
The preliminary plans:
A 200,000-square-foot indoor facility with eight basketball courts and a strength and agility training center
Family-focused entertainment area with bowling and food courts [TREND WATCH™©— blending training and entertainment, like Valhalla SC Arena is doing in Denver]
8 full-sized outdoor baseball fields with artificial turf— the fields will convert to 14 youth baseball/softball fields or multipurpose fields for flag football, lacrosse and soccer
A 5,000-seat baseball stadium
2 hotels, 2 restaurants, a gas station, and a partridge in a pear tree
Projections of 1 million annual visitors, $26 million in local economic impact in Year 1 and $52 million total by Year 5
Don’t book your trip to the Treasure Valley quite yet, though. While most of the land is locked down and the city backs the project, it sounds like capital will be a challenge.
An Idaho Statesman report suggests that viability may hinge on securing above-market corporate naming rights and sponsorship deals. There are also no builders or contractors tied to the proposal and a slew of zoning changes will be needed.
Of course, they could just force hotels to pay for it, like they’re doing in Kalamazoo.
Elsewhere…
Addison, Texas: Batbox, an indoor baseball-inspired entertainment venue and restaurant, will open this fall in the Dallas suburb. It will feature 10 state-of-the-art batting simulators and a 13,000-square-foot sports bar offering food and beverages. Here’s more on Batbox— the Top Golf of baseball.
Waukee, Iowa: The Kettlestone Central Sports Complex, the largest youth sports venue in the state, has opened. It has twin 70,000-square-foot brick structures that evoke old field houses and is owned by the nonprofit Iowa Youth Athletic Foundation with basketball, volleyball and pickleball courts and areas for gymnastics and wrestling.
🧢 Ankored Teams With Positive Coaching Alliance
Ankored has struck a new strategic partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance.
The collaboration integrates PCA's renowned coach education directly into Ankored's compliance and training automation platform for youth sports organizations.
From the press release:
Coaches, administrators, and other users can now view and manage all their requirements in one place - PCA course assignments and completion, background checks, specialized training like concussion protocols, and compliance documentation - through our integrated platform.
Coaches completing PCA training on Ankored will also automatically receive access to the hundreds of impactful resources PCA offers to help coaches be successful on and off the field. The partnership also expands digital access to PCA's materials, helping more kids access positive youth sports experiences regardless of their social, geographic, or economic circumstances.
⚾️ Field Contamination Headache Brewing In California
Field availability is a pressing problem almost everywhere, but a real mess may be brewing in one of the nation's most-populated areas.
Public health officials in Los Angeles County recently reported soil sampling in two Pasadena neighborhoods revealed elevated lead levels above the state screening threshold.
The official notice alludes to a possible connection with the LA wildfires earlier this year.
While the findings did not trigger immediate cleanup or remediation efforts, more evaluation is needed. And that process has shuttered several youth sports facilities.
Pasadena has closed baseball infields at two parks for further testing. It has also identified three other parks outside the testing zone for examination.
Those facilities remain open, but the situation could eventually impact football and soccer fields and tracks, so it is something to monitor.
👨‍⚕️ WATCH: Cedars-Sinai Doc On Safe Play
April is Youth Sports Safety Month. CBS Los Angeles interviewed Dr. Michael Banffy, the chief of sports medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, on overuse and injury prevention.
đź”— More Youth Sports Links
Want to reach more than 2,000 investors, owners, and operators in the business of youth sports? Buy an ad in Buying Sandlot right here. Our rates will go up once we hit 2,500 subscribers. So limited-time offer, as they say.
📋 Job(s) Alert: Common Purpose Director, Dick’s House of Sport
I posted one of these jobs in an earlier send, but noticed that Dick’s is looking for House of Sport directors and managers in many locations across the US.
House of Sport differs from traditional Dick’s locations by offering experiential areas like batting cages, indoor fields, rock walls and more.
Fun fact? Most of the jobs don’t list a salary range, but the New Jersey locations list $100k-$175k, so… use that range as a guide for the other locations.
See the full job listings on LinkedIn.
Would you like to put your open position in front of thousands of youth sports professionals? Pick an available date here.
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Good game.