From private coaches to travel league costs, a lot of money is raised in the world of youth sports. In her book Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids’ Sports — and Why It Matters, journalist Linda Flanagan describes what she calls the “ecosystem” of the children’s sports industry. , so we’re looking at private leagues, tournament hotels, and colleges. A sports department looking to recruit young athletes. Her 2019 analysis by WinterGreen Research estimated that the youth sports industry is worth $19.2 billion. That same year, the NFL was worth an estimated $15 billion.
Flanagan explained to Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal that due to the size of the industry, there are many kids who can and others who can’t.