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Millions of kids are playing organized sports in the U.S. About 27 million participated in 2022 and 2023 combined, according to the Aspen Institute's Project Play survey.
Roughly 1 in 5 of those kids is competing in travel sports, where the commitment — and the cost — goes well beyond a Saturday morning game across town.
Roughly 1 in 5 of those kids is competing in travel sports, where the commitment — and the cost — goes well beyond a Saturday morning game across town.
What starts as a way to support a child’s passion can quickly become a financial strain. In 2024, the average family spent $1,016 on one child’s primary sport — a 46% increase from 2019, says Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute's Sports and Society Program.
As costs rise, many parents are finding that keeping their kids in the game can mean reshaping their budgets and making tough financial decisions along the way.
Breaking down the cost of youth travel sports
Many families underestimate travel sports costs when they build their budgets, says Douglas Boneparth, a New York-based certified financial planner who focuses on millennials.
“We're talking registration fees, equipment, coaching, hotels, flights and meals, and it adds up fast,” Boneparth says.
Families with more than one child playing a competitive sport are likely to see costs compound.
Joy Simmons, a senior project manager in Cerritos, California, says her family spent well beyond the average when her oldest daughter played travel softball.
Simmons says they spent $10,000 to $13,000 each year — just on travel. That didn’t include the costs for individual batting lessons, gear and registration fees.
Most families don’t see this level of expense coming when they sign up for the first season, Boneparth says.
“Families are suddenly looking at costs that rival a second mortgage payment.”
How travel sports are squeezing family budgets
For many families, budgets are already tight. With rising costs, it can be hard to find the extra cash to make travel sports work.
A 2025 New York Life survey found that 76% of parents have taken some kind of action to help manage the costs of travel sports. A quarter of parents (25%) said they had to pull from their savings or emergency fund to pay for sports costs.
The tradeoffs are concerning, Boneparth says.
“I see families cutting back on retirement contributions, pausing debt payoff, and in some cases, taking on credit card debt to cover travel weekends," Boneparth says. "Vacation budgets get cannibalized. Emergency funds get raided, or never get built in the first place.”
Simmons says her family made similar sacrifices to keep up with the demands of travel softball.
“I hate to say this out loud, but we were living beyond our means because of the travel ball,” Simmons says, adding that they put most of the expenses on credit cards.
“There was a point where I was laid off,” Simmons says.
She took a pay cut with her new job and added a second job to help make ends meet.
“I didn’t want to disrupt my daughter’s routine, and her schedule, because she loved it so much,” she says. “So I actually worked at Home Depot for my second job, just to help supplement that.”
Do travel sports actually lead to college scholarships?
Many parents aren’t just paying for youth sports — they’re investing in what they hope is a pathway to help cover the costs of higher education.
About 83% of parents in the New York Life survey say they believe their child has the ability to play at the college level. And 49% say they’re confident their child will get an athletic scholarship.
“I do think there's a subconscious logic at play here: Parents see travel sports as an investment in their child's future, and a potential scholarship feels like the return,” Boneparth says. “But the numbers don’t support it.”
The NCAA reports that only 2% of high school athletes get a college scholarship. Simmons was one of those parents who hoped the investment would pay off.
“We weren’t spending that just for fun,” Simmons says.
Playing softball in college was always part of the conversation. For a moment, everything seemed to be on track, she says.
Her daughter was offered a scholarship during her freshman year of high school, but decided to wait until she was older to commit.
Then, she quit softball altogether during her junior year.
“It was gut-wrenching,” Simmons says. “I definitely felt like I was mourning the loss of not only the thought of her moving on, but the amount of money, the community, you know, just having to look forward to games.”
Simmons said it took her three years to pay off the remaining debt from her daughter’s softball career.
“Looking back, I don’t think I would have changed anything,” Simmons says.
Her daughter is thriving, and she believes that the years playing competitive sports gave her grit and showed her the value of commitment.
Sports are expensive — here’s how to stay in control
If making the travel sports math work for your family is a priority, “the goal is to be strategic rather than reactive,” Boneparth says.
Here are some things to try:
Price it all out — not just the obvious stuff
Before the season starts, estimate the full cost — not just registration fees and uniforms. Travel sports also include hotels, gas or flights, meals and extra gear.
“Most families underestimate by 30 to 40% because they only price the obvious stuff,” Boneparth says. “Once you have the real number, you can make an informed decision rather than getting surprised mid-season.”
Create a sinking fund for sports expenses
A sinking fund is money you set aside regularly for future expenses — like sports costs. Consider opening a high-yield savings account if you don’t have one. You can automatically deposit or transfer a set amount into your sports sinking fund and draw from that.
“When the money's gone, it's gone,” Boneparth says. “It creates a natural ceiling and keeps sports spending from bleeding into other budget categories.”
Use rewards strategically
Travel credit card rewards can offset travel costs, but only if you pay the balance in full every month.
“Using a rewards card while carrying a balance is just paying interest to feel like you're being smart,” Boneparth says. “The math doesn't work.”
Mix and match creative ways to save
Smaller strategies can add up to bigger savings over time:
- If upfront costs are too high, ask about monthly payment options to spread out expenses.
- Organize fundraising events for long-distance travel, like a team garage sale, bake sale or raffle. Put the proceeds toward team costs.
- Consider carpooling with another teammate to split gas costs. Download one of these top gas apps to look for savings.
- Buy used gear and sell what your child has outgrown on Facebook Marketplace or at Play It Again Sports. Put the earnings toward your next purchase.
- Volunteer to offset costs. Working the concession stand, doing administrative tasks or helping coordinate events are possible options.
» MORE: Payment plans can also make summer camp costs more manageable
Cut where you can
Sit down and review all your expenses — you’ll probably find some wiggle room, like the subscription you keep forgetting to cancel, or the gym membership you won't be using because you’ll be traveling for your kid’s games every weekend.
Redirect the money to your sports sinking fund, so it doesn’t get lost to lifestyle creep or impulse purchases.
