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Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com
[ Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com ]

WGN TV News story

Posted by John Drummond on February 13, 2026, 10:24 pm

Just like we’ve been talking about on here… the rising cost of sports, private equity, etc. Starts with new facility in New Lenox.

https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/whats-behind-the-rush-to-cash-in-on-kids-sports/

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by @WGN on February 14, 2026, 3:38 pm, in reply to "WGN TV News story"

$1000 per season? Sign me up!

I want to say somewhere along 10x that amount. We were lucky because my family was in a financial place to pay and my wife had time for the lessons, games, and travel. Honestly, I don't know how other families managed.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by @John Drummond on February 14, 2026, 10:00 am, in reply to "WGN TV News story"

It always made me wonder if the best talent was hitting the travel fields. Are great potential players getting squeezed out by the costs? I know at my kids' high school, there were players who competed at the "local level" in travel who could have easily competed at a "higher level".

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by Feel the Bern ;>) on February 14, 2026, 10:29 am, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

I think you’ve hit on what might be the worst part about all of this: access to the game, particularly at the A-ball, national program level that is where most D1 (especially P4) are recruited from.

Average athletes, with well-heeled parents who can afford the fees, travel, training - and TIME, can level up to become D1 athletes.

But how many incredible athletes are in CPS who don’t have the home situation that’s required to get that opportunity? Where could those kids end up in the game?

I get it - this is the way the world works and it’s not unique to softball. It’s just sad that everything in our society is moving toward have and have nots - and the former keep getting a bigger and bigger slice of the pie.

(No, I didn’t vote for Bernie!)

I’d love to see one of our national programs go out there and create local squads at the starter levels. Play a schedule at 10U that is reasonable and affordable. If you ID kids who have potential, build scholarships into your financial model to get them onto regional and national teams.

If we can create paths for more kids to play, the stronger the game will be. Otherwise, softball is gonna become a country club sport.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by @Feel the Bern on February 14, 2026, 11:01 am, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

The most important part of the post: I’d love to see one of our national programs go out there and create local squads at the starter level.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by Hillary Clinton on February 14, 2026, 4:09 pm, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

What is P4 if not the top 1%? The top 1% account for nearly 100% of NIL money. Talk about consolidation.

This sport is getting more expensive, sure. More expensive than back in the day? Absolutely. Are there more franchises, private equity, and facilities? I would say exponentially more. The devils advocate will say: How much more is your car today than it was in 1992, your house, your groceries?

Personally, I like lights on the fields, shade in the dug outs, and beer at concessions. I like indoor practice facilities, pitching machines, and pants (used to be shorts lol).

The same people complaining about cost complain about field conditions. A director tries to keep cost down, and they complain about distance between fields. The choose to go to a "national" team and complain about traveling to Colorado.

The hypocrisy is mind numbing. If you want to encourage neighborhood softball. Start encouraging neighborhood softball. It has to start somewhere right?.... Have your daughter join her neighborhood rec team. She'll get to play short stop instead of right, and most likely their team would be instantly better.

You can still use the forum... I'll be here waiting for a report on how good the 16u rec umps call out of box slappers.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by @Hillary on February 15, 2026, 3:21 pm, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

I had a kid who played Bulls Sox for her first year, which wasn't the highest level, thinking UTrip or NSA. If I remember correctly, we only went out of town once. Isn't that what the "lower" sanctioning bodies are for? Not trying to be elitist, that's just my only experience.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by Ken Starr on February 15, 2026, 11:25 am, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

Nobody is saying we don’t love the improvements of facilities and beverages. We’re pointing out that when the barrier to entry for a 'national' team is a second mortgage, the talent pool starts looking less like an athletic meritocracy and more like a private club membership.

If we keep telling everyone who cares about the soul of the game to 'just go play rec ball,' eventually the only people left in the elite bracket will be the ones who can buy their way there. At that point, are we watching a sport, or just a very expensive hobby for the 1%?

We all want the best for our kid, but we should also want the best for this ecosystem.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by Bill Conroy on February 17, 2026, 10:38 am, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

There's a lot of truth to the rising cost of travel sports, in particular, fastpitch softball. I agree that there are exceptional athletes that never get the opportunity to develop or showcase their skills because of the cost.
I have done my best to find avenues to provide scholarships to families in need. I started Empowering Girls for Life, www.empoweringgirlsforlife.com 9 years ago and we have raised enough money thru sponsors to provide $140,000 in scholarships that went to 5 different organizations last year. Bandits, Cheetahs, Team NC, Stingrays and Thunderbolts. I hope to continue to grow this in order to help families that can use financial assistance.
Unfortunately, no matter what I do, the issue is too big for my efforts to make a real difference.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by @Bill on February 17, 2026, 12:30 pm, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

Team NC....do tell.

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by @Bill on February 17, 2026, 12:29 pm, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

That's awesome.

I'd offer that anything you do is meaningful, especially to those directly impacted. Kudos.

Is the idea of a "local Bandits" team feasible? I guess on one hand a lot of the local teams are already addressing that demand - i.e., not going further than CP and Peoria for tournaments. On the other hand, there have to be athletes that could be P4 material who are just getting missed.

Could there be a "high athletic threshold / low cost" model that would allow you to ID kids who might get missed, and then use your scholarships to bring them up to your national teams if they have what it takes? (Maybe only at the 10U and 12U level?)

Re: WGN TV News story

Posted by Bill Conroy on March 7, 2026, 3:55 pm, in reply to "Re: WGN TV News story"

@Bil #1 The head of their program is someone I consider a friend as well as the Thunderbolts in Alabama. Both individuals have been good to me, the Bandits and EGFL, so I thought it was only fair that representatives from their programs were rewarded scholarships.

@Bill #2 I believe the focus of 10U, 11U, 12U and first year 14"s should be on development and less travel. Unfortunately, the only high level tournaments are Jeff Mac tournaments, which are all over the Midwest. You can drive to most these events but you do need hotel rooms. The cost isn't all that much less than our 16's and 18's.

Personally, I understand the issues with regards to expenses but the high athletic threshold/low cost model sounds good but the players that rise to the top will want better competition and will go somewhere else to find it.

Not sure of the solution but I think we all realize it's a problem and only getting worse.

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