Travel baseball has continued to grow as recreational baseball has continued to decline. Some say that travel ball is too expensive. If so, why does it continue to grow? Is it really too expensive? A lot of different expense types go into the entire cost of travel ball. Costs and fees vary significantly from team to team and really depend upon the team’s activities. How many times do they practice? Do they have fields reserved and indoor practice facilities available? Are coaches paid or volunteers? What equipment and uniforms are required?
Team/Club Fees
A main driver of the cost of travel teams is the type of coaches they have. Some pay ccoaches,and others rely on volunteers. Many look for paid coaches to avoid the infamous “daddy ball.” Coaches are a critical component of the travel ball team. As you reach the high school years, connected travel coaches are required. Coaches who know the college recruiters and programs are invaluable to the recruiting process. High school coaches are hit or miss. Some high school coaches are instrumental in the recruiting process, while others are more hands-off. Ensure your travel selection covers you for recruiting (if you’re at that age).
Another important aspect of travel is the team’s facilities. Do they have reserved fields and access to indoor facilities? This should be calculated into the price as well. What are you getting for your investment? Does the team have set times and after-hours access? Some organizations fully lease their facilities and make them available to the teams. Others may have a designated facility that they lease out to other organizations as well. When choosing a travel organization, make sure you know what’s included in the fees. Some will have indoor access included, and some charge extra.
Uniforms and equipment make up another large expense for some teams. Be sure to ask about that. Some teams just pass on the cost, but some others will charge a premium on those too. Several uniforms, hats, matching bags, custom helmets, etc. can run the cost up. I’ve seen seasonal gear packs run $1000 plus. Some will keep it simple . . . inexpensive jerseys, stock pants and socks, and only one hat. Uniforms and equipment can add up when they change every season (Spring and Fall). Ask about the uniform and equipment fees before committing to a travel team.
Games and Tournaments
For games and tournaments, teams operate in a variety of different ways. Some teams will play local games on their reserved fields. Sometimes they host, and sometimes travel to the opponent’s field. The only additional cost for these games is usually the umpires. Teams will sometimes rent a field for these games. They play sometimes during the week, but mostly doubleheaders or round-robins on the weekends.
Tournaments vary. Some teams will include a specific number of tournaments in their fees, and they are usually local or regional. They won’t require overnight stays. Out-of-town tournaments will usually have additional fees associated to cover the entry and coach’s travel costs. Again, verify how they run these before committing to a team. Additional costs associated with tournaments include gate fees and sometimes parking. These are dependent upon the specific tournaments and venues. Different tournament bodies host varying “quality” of tournaments also, so entry fees vary. Depending upon the coordinating organization, they host state/regional, national, and invitation-only tournaments. Venues and the number of teams vary from a handful to hundreds of teams. Tournament size determines the number and quality of venues. From sports complexes, to high school fields, parks, etc., their quality also varies.
Of course, out-of-town tournaments require travel . . . either a road trip or air travel. You will need hotels, and sometimes the tournament will require stay to play, where they require that you book through them. In larger tournaments, the stays can last from a long weekend to a full week. Just make sure you know what you are committing to.
Other Costs
Looking at some other potential costs to include. If you want to follow your team, some will use GameChanger. While not overly expensive, it’s still a cost. It’s definitely unnecessary, but it can be quite useful. Aside from stats, different subscription levels let you stream, save video highlights, communicate, and keep a schedule.
Streaming services are used at some tournaments. PG for example, uses DiamondKast. That is where you can find the scores, schedules, and statistics. Of course, it requires a subscription as well. PBR has a similar setup for some of their venues, like Lakepoint Sports Complex.
Most tournament bodies require registration and a profile for the players. That is included in the team’s registration fee, but if you want to see rankings, stats, etc., there will be an extra charge for that (mainly PG and PBR).
As the kids reach high school age, many teams will participate in college camps or showcases. Participating as a team, the fees may be included or may be an add-on cost. These provide an opportunity to get validated metrics and additional input on skills. If your player wants to play at the next level, it’s a great opportunity to see where they are.
Some teams and coaches will offer small group or individual lessons as part of their package. Others will have you on your own to seek out additional training. Individual lessons’ prices vary, but sometimes that may be what’s needed to fill in the gaps. Understanding your player’s goals will help guide you to fill in the training gaps. For some, the strategy is to spend less on the organization and tournaments so that they can focus on more individualized training. It depends on your self-assessment, your goals, and the gaps.
Worth the Expense?
Determining value is important when planning on which team to join. To determine value, you must consider the player’s goals.
I discuss this here —> Goals - Pursuing the Next Level
Current age and goals are important to determine if the cost is comparable to the goals. There are many paths to pursue/attain your goals, so don’t lock yourself into a particular path. Plan and budget to help you get there. If money is not an object, do them all!! For most, you’ll need to balance fun, budget, and effectiveness. Do your research to make an educated decision.
Personally, I spent two summers with my son playing the national circuit in the South. While it was exhausting, we made some great memories, and we made a lot of good friends along the way. He’s playing in college now. It’s great seeing some of his previous teammates being drafted and others playing in college. I guess I’ll be keeping my ESPN+ subscription so I can keep up with all of them.
Is it worth it? It was for us. Just make sure it aligns with your goals.