The ridiculous cost of youth sports includes pay-to-play hockey tournaments: Our Best Life

CLEVELAND, Ohio — I don't like hockey tournaments.

I realize this is an outrageous opinion for a hockey parent to have. I can assure you that I think hockey is a magical way to spend the winter. I rarely miss a game of my son. And although the season lasts from August to March, it is never long enough.

What I don’t like is taking days off, pulling my kid out of school, and dropping hundreds of dollars at mediocre suburban hotels for the privilege of playing games at bad times, often against mismatched opponents, and occasionally watching parents get into fights.

What I hate is that companies money from the major leagues in amateur sports.

The Aspen Institute, which annually studies youth sports across the country, Hockey is the most expensive youth sport at $2,583 per year. And American families spend $30 to $40 billion annually on their children’s sports activities, according to parent surveys and national sports participation data.

That's more than the annual revenue of any professional league. And it could drive families out of the sport. Tournament costs are mounting.

According to the Aspen Institute, the number of U.S. children ages 6 to 12 who regularly participate in sports declined by 6% between 2019 and 2022. That’s 1.2 million fewer kids playing, exercising, building confidence and experiencing the adrenaline rush of teamwork.

While participation is growing among low-income households, the Aspen Institute says there’s still a gap: 25% of kids play in homes with incomes under $25,000, versus 39% of kids from families earning $100,000 or more. And those kids are likely to spend a lot more on equipment, private lessons and travel.

Unfortunately, life is not a Mighty Ducks movie. The fighting team does not always (usually) win in the end.

My 13-year-old son has been playing travel hockey for six years. Travel, not club: a difference I couldn’t fathom when I first signed my kids up for learn-to-play programs at our city recreation center.

It’s complicated, but travel is generally a step up from house league. Whether we’re talking hockey, soccer, or lacrosse, the teams are generally run by city recreation departments or local nonprofits, and they play against other local teams. They accept everyone. Club is a more elite level that requires tryouts and bigger commitments, both in time and money.

I learned these distinctions just as I learned the mechanics of offside. Slowly, by observing, listening and asking lots of questions. By watching, cheering and loving the game.

I love the speed of hockey. I love how the game changes in the blink of an eye, with one breakaway, one connected pass, one lucky shot. I love how seamlessly these kids move, slide, turn, switch like their feet were born with blades.

But the I am annoyed by the money-grabbing scheme.

Related: Warning to parents. This could cost you thousands.

Hockey tournaments are pay-to-stay-to-play. You have to stay at the hotels designated by the tournament. You have to collect so many mandatory nights. You can’t use hotel points or discount sites because you have to book through the tournament, often at a higher rate. And you can’t stay with grandparents who live in the same city.

So two nights, you'll pay about $400 at the hotel.

Add to that the other costs of a tournament: meals out, gas costs and perhaps the cost of boarding a dog.

I think it's expensive and we can afford it. What about families who can't? What about families who would rather spend their family travel budget on a destination they all enjoy?

Why do we exclude children from sports because of high travel costs?

In our partnership with WKYC, called How to win at youth sports (without going broke or breakdown), we spoke with experts, coaches and families about the current situation and what we can do better to develop healthy, well-adjusted players.