The Business of Youth Soccer

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http://history.msu.edu/iss328/files/...s_2010_ch9.pdf

Excerpt from

That will be $5,000 please

The organization and economic sophistication of the American youth soccer system would shock most of the soccer world. Countries would do well to come and see for themselves a privately run system that creates tremendous competition between clubs and provides enough self-financing to allow the best to employ full-time coaches, assistant coaches and administrators. With no government funding, American soccer has found a way to create the dollars necessary to ensure that youth soccer is a self generating economic engine that will continue to ensure millions of kids compete and play each season. Thousands of privately run soccer clubs saturate the USA, the best of which play almost all year round (particularly in California) in highly competitive leagues and tournaments. Clubs compete among themselves for the best players, the most motivated parents and of course, for the most prestigious titles and tournaments. The value exchange is simple, the clubs that win the most will attract the most motivated players and most demanding parents, who are willing to pay handsomely to have their kids play for the "best". Their motivation again is simple, if their kids are on the best team there is far more chance they will be spotted by a College or National Team Coach. It's a feeding frenzy of mutual interest. A frenzy that from the age of 10 ensures parents of any player that can kick a ball straight starts a mission to ensure their child plays on the best teams, gets coached by the best coaches and is seen by the most colleges and scouts possible.

In moves that would make Premiership. players blush, loyalty to clubs is usually at a minimum (win or we leave), loyalty however to coaches is strong (if a coach leaves a club the whole team might well leave with him). Parents will commit to 8-10 years of club participation and coaching in the hope that their kid might be deemed good enough to gain a college scholarship, or at the worst be deemed good enough to get into the college of their choice (without a scholarship), because the soccer coach needs a "striker". In the hugely competitive college acceptance "jungle" being a 20-goal a season forward might be enough to tip the balance in your favor, over a smart, studious, library frequenting applicant with two left feet. Not necessarily fair, but I used the world jungle for a reason! With the college carrot always present, leading clubs can afford to pay their coaches anywhere from $100,000-$150,000 per year supported by parents who are prepared to pay anywhere from $2,000 to, in some cases, $10,000 per season in fees and travel expenses. On average, parents might pay $1,500 to register, $250 on required uniforms and training gear, and a further $250 to underwrite the cost of attending key tournaments (excluding the travel and hotel expenses incurred from actually playing), and this is just for regular clubs. The super-elite clubs might charge anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 to be a part of the program.

A quick back of the envelope calculation gives you an idea of the revenue some of these clubs, as illustrated in Table 9.1.

Club Teams Players Cost Total
Club A 10 15 $2,000 $300,000
Club B 20 15 $2,000 $600,000
Club C 30 15 $2,000 $900,000

The king's shilling

It is not a one-way street though. To justify such fees, clubs do need to provide what the parents perceive as "top class" coaching, the problem being that most parents would not know a top class soccer coach from a top class chef and so their opinion is based solely upon whether their team wins or loses, which can be a flawed concept. If English Premiership Academy soccer coaches refuse to allow scores to be kept or results posted for their young teams, preferring instead to concentrate on seeing how individual players develop, then why are American coaches so hooked on ensuring the under-10 Ohio Blue Stars crush all before them(usually due to the fact that they have an early maturing 9-year-old who scores five goals a game)? It's either the coaches' ego or the parents' uneducated demands and most probably both. Either way it's killing the "development" of American soccer players and robbing players of many of the innate skills they need to learn at a young age, skills that will need to be second nature by the time they are 16 if they are ever to become professionals.

There are of course many excellent coaches in the USA and that's not surprising. A Director of Coaching might earn $130,000-$150,000 per year at a club and an assistant director $50,000-$80,000 per year. Clubs then supplement their staff with individual team coaches who typically operate on a contract basis earning around $1,200 per month per team (many take on two or three teams). Coaches will also supplement their income by providing private lessons to players (read parents) looking for that extra edge. Charging anywhere from $30 to $50 per hour and often requiring a minimum of four players per session, a comfortable $150 to $200 per hour can be earned. A fact that if known might convince a few dentists and doctors to switch trades. It's a tough job however and for taking the "king's shilling" coaches are expected to produce winning teams, handle awkward parents, get their players selected for State, Regional and National teams and most importantly, earn co11ege scholarships for as many of their players as possible. Failure to do so results in a set of very angry and vociferous parents.

[Unregistered]

http://history.msu.edu/iss328/files/...s_2010_ch9.pdf

Excerpt from

Why do people continue to try to make sense of this. Afterall, it is part of a growing economy. No one gets upset if Apple products are expensive. You either choose to purchase or not. You should do the research before buying any product.
Youth sports can be costly. If you want the product and have goals then great. If you can't afford it then apply for a scholarship to the 'charitable' capable clubs.
If you have loads of money then great.
Personally (and it is my own feeling), I get tired of listening to adulst whine and complain about how they spent 'so much' and 'got so little'.
Of course, I would understand if others got tired of my opinion as well, but as adults, you have to realize that youth sports are no different than going into any store that claims to provide a product that 'you need'.

Do the research and make an educated decision. You can always not do it the next year.

The major criticism that I have of any club is when they don't assist with college recruitment for those who wish to play college. That can either mean telling a kid and family that it is not going to happen to calling the college coaches themselves. Clubs could hold 2-4 day long showcases including drills, training, and games hosted by the club and staffed by invited college coaches.

[Unregistered]

Why do people continue to try to make sense of this. Afterall, it is part of a growing economy. No one gets upset if Apple products are expensive. You either choose to purchase or not. You should do the research before buying any product.
Youth sports can be costly. If you want the product and have goals then great. If you can't afford it then apply for a scholarship to the 'charitable' capable clubs.
If you have loads of money then great.
Personally (and it is my own feeling), I get tired of listening to adulst whine and complain about how they spent 'so much' and 'got so little'.
Of course, I would understand if others got tired of my opinion as well, but as adults, you have to realize that youth sports are no different than going into any store that claims to provide a product that 'you need'.

Do the research and make an educated decision. You can always not do it the next year.

The major criticism that I have of any club is when they don't assist with college recruitment for those who wish to play college. That can either mean telling a kid and family that it is not going to happen to calling the college coaches themselves. Clubs could hold 2-4 day long showcases including drills, training, and games hosted by the club and staffed by invited college coaches.

Not to mention the annoyance that the constant refrains about participation and costs are coming from the nation's top consumer. Supercharged duplicity.

[Unregistered]

Don't you see where dissecting it here might be part of doing that research?

[Unregistered]

http://history.msu.edu/iss328/files/...s_2010_ch9.pdf

Excerpt from

Spot on.
But I coach and don't make no $100,000.
Boss probably does though.

[Unregistered]

In our club there are two levels of coaches. There is a full time staff and then there are part time coaches that coach individual teams. Can anyone speak to roughly how much the different clubs pay their full time staff and what part time coaches get per team?

[Unregistered]

Don't you see where dissecting it here might be part of doing that research?

I don't mind the dissection and information. It is the complaining that I find annoying. Most parents don't reallzed that their complaints may reflect a scenario such that their kids are not the superstars that they had thought and find themselves in a situation in which they are paying more than they feel it is worth. They don't realize that they have the option to move on. Instead they might allow themselves to get cuaght up in the hyper or advertising that is presented and continue to stay with the same club and coach......but come on to this site and constantly complain about their persistent problem.

[Unregistered]

I don't mind the dissection and information. It is the complaining that I find annoying. Most parents don't reallzed that their complaints may reflect a scenario such that their kids are not the superstars that they had thought and find themselves in a situation in which they are paying more than they feel it is worth. They don't realize that they have the option to move on. Instead they might allow themselves to get cuaght up in the hyper or advertising that is presented and continue to stay with the same club and coach......but come on to this site and constantly complain about their persistent problem.

Who is complaining besides BTNT? And the irony there is that you would think he might realize that the "system," flawed as it might be, has served him quite well. Not to mention that he would have far greater credibility if he was a professor teaching courses about the role of athletics in American life, the role of club/AAU in all sports, parental narcissism at large, families of means fighting for pre-school slots that are sold as necessary to be in the competition for Ivies, the private tutoring and training that goes with all that, the need to send kids to prep schools, the cultural obsession in the demographic with making sure one's kid doesn't fall behind, the lack of any true genuine concern about anyone else's kid, et, etc. In other words, if his arguments rang more true, more intellectual, less self serving and obviously and narrowly agenda-based, we might take him more seriously. He clearly wants to be taken seriously since here he is the day after Xmas right back at it, quoting articles, and trying his darnedest to convince others of things he would never follow himself.

[Unregistered]

http://history.msu.edu/iss328/files/...s_2010_ch9.pdf

Excerpt from

And clearly the parents are funding a marketing machine that writes puff pieces of total garbage propaganda like this. - Cujo

[Unregistered]

And clearly the parents are funding a marketing machine that writes puff pieces of total garbage propaganda like this. - Cujo

Why do you call the article propaganda? I don't see it as a negative article at all, but instead a description of successful economics and a thriving business model that, similar to any product or service that might be purchased, is advertised and promoted. It is a business model that employs mlllions and utilizes services throughout the country and world?

MY LIBERAL LEFTY SIDE: At the risk of supporting regulations, one has to recognize that there is absolutely no real regulation and clubs border on, if not actually crossing, false advertising and impropriety. The DAP and NEP (my family has been involved in all Mass leagues) attempt to control coaching by requiring a minimum license, but there is no evidence (either direction) that this is adhered to. Clubs advertise 'top teams in top leagues' but do not really specify nor clarify this across the board. What is to say that this means the top Maple team in the second division or the best NEP team in the fourth? Now that there are even more leagues (EDP, NPL, Region 1, ECNL etc etc) the chance that any kind of real regulation or product control would be successfully implemented is greatly diminished. The bottom line, is that there is no quality control; not on the club level and certainly not on the individual coaching level.

MY CONSERVATIVE RIGHT SIDE: As much as I would like to see quality control to assure that a minimum standard is met, no one is forcing parents to sign on any dotted line nor pay large amounts of money. They do so voluntarily and many do so without any proper research. This is where the consumer has to be intelligent. For those who are not, I don't have great sympathy as they should be quite a bit wiser before opening a door and selecting a product.

A CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTION: While I greatly encourage all to do the research, I don't think that clubs provide open lable advertising like other products. There are no real minimum requirements for warnings on the side of the package. There is no package insert that provides consistent information on how to use the product. I don't doubt that some clubs do this well, but there is a lack of consistency by the club along with a lack of understanding by the parent and child. All that said, it is ultimately the job of the parent to be more aware of what they are buying. Like any other product if they are dissatisfied then they have the ability to not pay the next year. Perhaps there should be some 'return date/period'.
Evaluations should be two-way. When was the last time your child was given an evaluation and when was the last time you were asked to evaluate the club and the coach.....or even the manager?

If, in fact, youth sports has become a business (and it has) then there should be a minimum product and business standard that should be met and adhered to. There is very little quality control of this massive business.

[Unregistered]

Why do you call the article propaganda? I don't see it as a negative article at all, but instead a description of successful economics and a thriving business model that, similar to any product or service that might be purchased, is advertised and promoted. It is a business model that employs mlllions and utilizes services throughout the country and world?

MY LIBERAL LEFTY SIDE: At the risk of supporting regulations, one has to recognize that there is absolutely no real regulation and clubs border on, if not actually crossing, false advertising and impropriety. The DAP and NEP (my family has been involved in all Mass leagues) attempt to control coaching by requiring a minimum license, but there is no evidence (either direction) that this is adhered to. Clubs advertise 'top teams in top leagues' but do not really specify nor clarify this across the board. What is to say that this means the top Maple team in the second division or the best NEP team in the fourth? Now that there are even more leagues (EDP, NPL, Region 1, ECNL etc etc) the chance that any kind of real regulation or product control would be successfully implemented is greatly diminished. The bottom line, is that there is no quality control; not on the club level and certainly not on the individual coaching level.

MY CONSERVATIVE RIGHT SIDE: As much as I would like to see quality control to assure that a minimum standard is met, no one is forcing parents to sign on any dotted line nor pay large amounts of money. They do so voluntarily and many do so without any proper research. This is where the consumer has to be intelligent. For those who are not, I don't have great sympathy as they should be quite a bit wiser before opening a door and selecting a product.

A CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTION: While I greatly encourage all to do the research, I don't think that clubs provide open lable advertising like other products. There are no real minimum requirements for warnings on the side of the package. There is no package insert that provides consistent information on how to use the product. I don't doubt that some clubs do this well, but there is a lack of consistency by the club along with a lack of understanding by the parent and child. All that said, it is ultimately the job of the parent to be more aware of what they are buying. Like any other product if they are dissatisfied then they have the ability to not pay the next year. Perhaps there should be some 'return date/period'.
Evaluations should be two-way. When was the last time your child was given an evaluation and when was the last time you were asked to evaluate the club and the coach.....or even the manager?

If, in fact, youth sports has become a business (and it has) then there should be a minimum product and business standard that should be met and adhered to. There is very little quality control of this massive business.

These are good suggestions, but would require more beauracracy to get it done. DAP and NEP already have some coaching requirements while MAPLE does not. This, by no means, guarantees quality, nor coaching bahaviors, but might be step in the right direction. The clear involvement of town teams in MAPLE will always limit any kind of real regulation unless any proposed regulatory board is going to include town systems under the same umbrella.

Good idea, but the business of club soccer has been allowed to run rampant long enough that the horses are out of the barn. To gain control will require quite a bit of governing.

[Unregistered]

These are good suggestions, but would require more beauracracy to get it done. DAP and NEP already have some coaching requirements while MAPLE does not. This, by no means, guarantees quality, nor coaching bahaviors, but might be step in the right direction. The clear involvement of town teams in MAPLE will always limit any kind of real regulation unless any proposed regulatory board is going to include town systems under the same umbrella.

Good idea, but the business of club soccer has been allowed to run rampant long enough that the horses are out of the barn. To gain control will require quite a bit of governing.

Ah, but aren't Bayern Munich and GPS riding to the rescue????

[Unregistered]

Ah, but aren't Bayern Munich and GPS riding to the rescue????

GPS would be the poster child for what is wrong with youth soccer.
Ex. Hosting meaningless tournaments on a regular basis. Creating super teams. On one hand it sounds Like a great model for parents but reality is that it takes away from building a sense of community and loyalty.
Not passing down savings to their customers but instead being one of the most expensive clubs.

Marketing themselves as elite when in fact 80% of their product(players) are way below industry standards.

The article explains the economics in the USA but also hints that the models for real development is opposite of what real clubs are doing in the world.

[Unregistered]

And clearly the parents are funding a marketing machine that writes puff pieces of total garbage propaganda like this. - Cujo

What you call propaganda offsets this sort of propaganda. "Soccer Academy: A Day in the Life at the IMG Academy soccer program" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oiDU03eOvE For anyone who doesn't know, IMG is a boarding school down in Florida that costs in excess of $70,000 a year to attend. It will take kids as young as 12 for soccer and 8 years old for sports like golf and tennis. It is really a pro sports type academy masquerading as a prep school. It has spawned other such endeavors like the Shattuck-St Mary School up in Minnesota ( http://ssmsoccer.org/page/25/ ) which is essentially a real prep school masquerading as a pro sports academy. It is a relative bargain costing only around $50,000 and like many boarding schools, it will take kids as young as the 6th grade. Calling that article propaganda totally denies that we have extremes like IMG and Shattuck-St Mary in our midst and that the mindset that feeds them students even exists. The fact is the mindset that feeds those two entities DOES exist and it is essentially the same mindset that feeds the upper tiers of club soccer. That mindset is what we are actually discussing.

There have always been parents who have shipped their kids off to boarding schools and in many respects you might say that the traditional thinking behind that decision has now been infused into the top levels of club soccer as evidenced by the numbers of prep school and ISL players on the top level teams of our various local clubs. Though there really shouldn't be any debate as to the benefit of those types of educations nor the value of the experiences had while at one of them, the fundamental issue really comes down to whether or not one actually NEEDS any of it to succeed in soccer if soccer is the actual goal. After all there are plenty of examples of kids who follow far less exclusive routes to find success in soccer so it should be pretty clear that the exclusivity of those environments certainly isn't the major factor in soccer success.

So what does going to a place like IMG or Shattuck-St Mary, and by extension being on a top level soccer team, really get someone if they don't actually possess the potential to be a top level soccer player? The factual answer is it doesn't really get them anywhere in terms of soccer because intuitively we all recognize that eventually talent level determines the level of soccer success, not spending level. Granted there may be some ancillary benefits to going along for the ride. For example it may help some kids get into a college they covet and that might do great things for them in their life but then one really needs to look at how necessary the soccer element was and whether it actually had any measurable impact on their kid's life success. When you get right down to it, unless a player has a high level of soccer potential of the sort that may put them in a position to be able to capitalize on soccer as a career, going to places like IMG are really just a frivolous use of resources that in many ways might actually impede life success. It shouldn't take much imagination to see that if your kid's life is not going to be ruled by their soccer endeavors that there are lots of more direct routes they could follow to get them where they ultimately will end up.

There are those that will always defend their right to send their children to the IMG's and Shattuck-St Mary's of the world. If those people have the resources and the will to do it, of course they should be able to send their kids to those types of environments but their thinking shouldn't be driving youth sports the way it really does now. Denying that mindset exists and is having the impact that it is having is ridiculous. When one surveys today's youth sports environment, way too many people seem to think that spending money to be on some exclusive team is all that it takes to capture the rewards of an athletic career. We seem to have lost all objectivity and don't really have a clear sense of what it actually takes to capitalize on one's ability to play a game like soccer. Ask any club coach about the work rate of the individual players on their teams. Almost all are going to tell you that 99% of the players aren't working hard enough to actually maximize their soccer potential (whatever that potential may be). Doesn't that then set up parallel to the IMG type situation where if the player isn't really going to work to maximize their potential then spending all of the money to be on the exclusive team is similarly frivolous?

The real issue with club soccer right now is we have eliminated all of the harshness of competitive selection so that we can increase soccer participation and push up the popularity of the sport but in doing so we have completely watered down the whole environment and have really negatively impacted our ability to develop soccer talent. If that is what suits everyone that is fine but let's at least be "real" in our assessment of just how "elite" things are and where these environments actually lead because a lot of what is being bandied about is nothing but pure fantasy. It is plain to see that there are a lot of people capitalizing on that fantasy and it would be rather sad if there weren't room for discussion about it all. Labeling the discussion as propaganda or otherwise dismissing it does everyone a disservice.

[Unregistered]

This "watering down" talk drives me insane. Unless you are talking about the watering down of coaching talent, because that is where the watering down does exists.