America’s obsession with youth sports is driving up the cost of playing. From Caitlyn Clark to LaMelo Ball, many Gen Z athletes have trained from a young age, often with heavy parental support and pressure. Today, 60M children play sports, and U.S. families spent an average of $1K on their child’s sport in 2024, up 46% from 2019. With the youth sports industry now generating $40B annually, private equity firms are buying up youth sports academies, leagues, and facilities. And while many parents see sports as a path to scholarships—20% of youth sports parents think their child has the ability to play Division 1 sports—some warn that big money is pushing youth sports further out of reach for lower income families. (NYT)
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