What the Heck?

[Crimson's Ghost]

I would assume more kids pay to play hockey than baseball. 

[konjo78]

I would assume more kids pay to play hockey than baseball. 

The cost of hockey, football is much highee for baseball on an entry level. when you get to travel teams though baseball gets pretty expensive. 100 dollar gloves, 200 dollar bat. all the accessories adds up

[knowitall]

There's probably at least ten kids playing baseball for every kid playing hockey in the US

[Crimson's Ghost]

I would think hockey travel is very expensive as well. The Johnstown based teams travel all over the place for games.  There's only 2 active rinks in Cambria County I believe, War Memorial and some place in Ebensburg.  Planet Ice just closed.  

Baseball is still pretty accessible on a local level during the warm weather months. When kids want to specialize in baseball, especially here in Johnstown, that's when it can get expensive.  If you want to workout and play year round in Florida and California, there's more options.  If you want to exclusively play baseball here, you're paying for it.  

[say_oww]

When I say PAY to PLAY I am also referring to the college level where most D1, D2, and D3 baseball players are paying 80% or more of their tuition out of their pocket or taking out loans just to go to a small school and further their baseball careers.  Baseball doesn't generate the revenue so if you want to play you basically have to pay your own way.  Ever wonder why the few local kids who ultimately sign a D1 letter always end up finishing their careers at UPJ, IUP, or Mount Aloysius?  

[Crimson's Ghost]

Baseball "full scholarships" aren't really a thing. A division one program has 13 full scholarships that are generally divided by 30-35 kids. Big time college baseball like SEC/ACC is ultra competitive, but beyond that not many programs drive much interest. Pitt and Penn State are never really heard from. They can't compete with Warm weather programs in talent, interest, or facilities. One of the best college baseball players in the country is from Pittsburgh, but it's not like Pitt was ever an option for him. He's at Louisville and will be drafted in the top 10 in June. Some Northern schools don't even have baseball altogether. Syracuse is a pretty sizable school/athletic program but they don't offer baseball.

[konjo78]

Yeah i meant to say baseball can get more expensive than football. Hockey by far is more expensive! But it isnt a big US sport, why US has major minority in hockey

[knowitall]

I sure hope kids going the D3 route are choosing the school for its academics and are then simply electing to play sports

[say_oww]

I doubt anyone would truly consider some of these D3 schools for academics. Anyone on a team at these schools is there because they are trying to get the most out of their ability (Not my words). To some simply being able to say they played at a certain level is the primary objective. Just look at how many times "playing at a higher level" was used in this discussion which began with a simple little league question.

[Mholtz65]

Here is the big picture. It's all a waste of a lot of money. In the end, parents spend a fortune in the hopes that their kid will someday play at a D1 school or sign a pro contract. You need a lot of God given natural talent to play 4 years at a D1 school. Very, very few can jump from having some talent to being D1 material. If they do it is usually late maturity of their body and NOT endless pitching or hitting lessons.

That said, even if you do go D1, it's difficult to make the grades if you want to be an engineer, doctor, lawyer etc. These majors take a lot of study time. Playing a college sport like baseball takes a lot of time away from study.  Many players end up majoring in something easier to handle so that they can devote more time to the team. Most dream of playing pro ball and dream of playing in the big leagues where they will make tons of money. 

Let's say they are drafted after their junior year. They are offered a nice signing bonus And decide to leave school early and go in the draft. Typically, if they do get to the big leagues it will take 4 years or more. Those chances are slim. They make no money and toil around in the minors thinking their next in line to be called up. Let's say they do. They play a handful of years maybe up and down big leagues/minor leagues. They have made some good money but never the big pay day. 

Now they have been in pro ball for 7,8,9 years and can't let go. Maybe they are married with a kid or two. They keep waiting for that next call up or maybe they sign with a new team. They will maybe have new opportunity with that team right?! They stick around for a couple more years until they are finally released. They are now 35, 36, 37 years old with no job and a family to support. The little bit of money they made is probably gone. What are their options? Go back to school and finish? Tough to do full time with a family. 

Some will land a coaching job in the minors making $38k a year in the minors on 14 hour bus trips away from their family. Many get divorced. Others will open a baseball school because that is all they know. You make even less than a minor league coach doing this. College coaching jobs are difficult to get. Most D1 schools don't like to hire ex-pro players.

 When they can't make ends meet, they will go out and try and get a real job at 40 years old. Not much on a resume at this point that any employer really cares about. Sure, they might like to hear stories from your playing days but that's about it.

My point is this. If people REALLY understood what playing at a "higher level" involves, I doubt they would spend the money they do on lessons, camps, clinics and travel baseball for there kids. Hey, if the kid wants do it because he/she enjoys it then fine.  Not trying to be a pessimist here but my thoughts are based in reality. I know it because I lived it to a certain extent.