, Columnist
The Cost of Youth Baseball Is Getting Absurd
Pay-to-play models have become too dominant, leaving kids who come from households that can’t afford the hefty prices or just want to play for fun deprived of the benefits of playing sports.
Youth sports has lost its way.
Photographer: Joshua Bessex/Getty Images North AmericaThis article is for subscribers only.
This month, 21 current and former Major League Baseball players invested their own money in youth baseball. If that sounds like a feel-good story in which baseball’s past paves the way for baseball’s future, think again.
The MLB team invested in Perfect Game, a company that holds pricey tournaments and prospect showcases for college and professional scouts. But those events aren’t for everyone. For example, at a recent weekend tournament for Houston-area 8-year-olds, the company charged a $750 entry fee.