@Fan2024 posted:I've seen people writing that academy teams give their A team a free ride while using the other teams to subsidize, and now seeing people writing that their kids' teams are mostly paid for. In the northeast I don't think this is the case (except for the most rarefied teams, or the lucky one that has a rich sponsor). None of the academy teams near me are having A team kids play for free. I am wondering if this is because finding training spaces is so much more expensive in cold-weather states. From what I have seen the (Northeast) dad-coached teams are much cheaper than the academy teams and play more games than the pro-coached teams, with the possible exception being academy teams asociated with tournament facilities (like Diamond Nation or MSI in my neck of the woods). And of course, if your kid is a dude pitcher, you can guest for most teams without paying, or pay less as a PO...
I ran a dad coached team for 13, 14 and 16u (kids were 15) in ‘06, ‘07 and ‘08. All four of us (coaches) had played college ball. Two played pro. We knew our stuff. It was $600 per summer to play in ten tournaments and a handful of friendlies (doubleheaders). We didn’t calculate travel. Two facilities were within 40 miles. One was 80. It was all day trips. We requested “no 8am games” at the facility 80 miles away.
But when kids are ready for college ball exposure you don’t want to be saving money playing for a daddy coached team. You want your kid on a team with a reputation with the college coaches, and coaches with wide ranging credibility and contacts.