Rochester, New York is jumping on the bandwagon. Sandusky, Ohio, refuses to stay out. Rantoul, Illinois, is making its own big statement. What do these communities have in common? All have joined the growing trend in the US to create sports complexes for young billionaires that will serve expansive communities, attract major travel teams and tournaments, and generate a lot of cash for businesses in the area. It’s official. Sandlot Ball has become big business.
That won’t be a revelation to any parent whose kids have participated in youth sports at any level, especially the travel team level. Costs for equipment, coaches, equipment “tuition” and travel expenses can easily run into the thousands each year for each child. These mega youth sports complexes are just the latest craze in this crazy, commercialized world of youth sports.
We’ve come a long way since Joe Tomlin found a vacant lot in Philadelphia to start his Pop Warner youth soccer program in 1929, in order to prevent young children from trashing local businesses. And what would Carl Stotz think of today’s youth sports industry? It’s a far cry from the humble origins of its first Little League games created in 1938 on the sandlot baseball fields around Williamsport, PA.
The City of Rochester spent $ 2.1 million (through a combination of public and private funds) on its indoor sports complex that will house multipurpose courts and grass fields, a weight room and locker rooms. Its mayor welcomed the 2020 development project by saying that Rochester youth sports teams would now have “access to the same training opportunities, scrimmages, practice sessions” and sports medicine professionals throughout the year as their suburban counterparts. (Oh well. More “year-round training” for kids – just what the experts warn.)
The people of Rantoul, Illinois, have a broader vision than that. Construction is about to begin on a $ 20 million sports complex aimed at attracting people from across the Midwest. His plan calls for a 60-plus acre facility that will include eight multi-sport turf fields and eight baseball and turf softball diamonds. Rantoul officials believe the complex can attract massive youth sports tournaments and therefore boost economic development in the area, including restaurants, hotels and retail stores. His mayor said he believed this complex “is the economic engine that can take Rantoul into the future.” Wow. Who knew how much fell on the shoulders of our little pee athletes?
Sandusky, Ohio, goes even further. In January they will open their new $ 32 million covered Cedar Point Sports Center with enough space for 10 full-size basketball courts or 20 volleyball courts. It will complement its outdoor sports parks located next door, which opened in 2017 and is home to 10 multi-sport grass pitches. And for local officials, it fits in nicely with its famous Cedar Point amusement park, especially since its goal is to attract more visitors – and businesses – to the area during the colder off-season months. They seem to be right. In February, the new indoor facility will host its first volleyball tournament, with the participation of 130 teams. That should give local restaurants, hotels, and gas stations a nice head start for the year.
According to the Street & Smith Sports Business Journal, youth sports complexes are developing at a rapid pace, with more than $ 550 million invested in such projects in the last three years alone. Apparently, our children’s sports are not only driving us crazy, but are also driving the economies of local communities across the United States. So get ready to hit the road, with more tournament destinations at your disposal. And don’t complain. After all, you signed your son up for a travel team.