Cost for Showcase/Travel ball; just sign up fee

Ours is $800 for signup fee and we split tourney fees equally depending on how many kids go to a tourney, etc.  They estimate our total to be $1600. 

This includes nothing for uniforms (which are basic and inexpensive) or travel which will likely be more than the $1600.

It was $2500 five years ago. It was inclusive including transportation and lodging for East Cobb. 

My son's summer program charges $1350.

That covers tourney fees, coaches salaries, practice field rental (local college), and a couple of dry fit jerseys.

The program usually has 6-7 teams over the summer (2 17U, 2 16U, 15U, 14U), along with a team in the South Florida Collegiate League, so some of the costs can be spread across the teams.  I would expect a program that only has one team would cost more

Ours is still $1000 and all our equip is free as we r sponsored by big bat co. 

Then plan on 400plus each  out of town weekend tourn. For rooms, food, gate fees, gas,etc. if it's big PG weeklong tourn.   then plan extra for that. 

We don't have big team fundraisers for Summer team. 

Back when my son played travel ball, the only "fee" we ever paid was for the uniforms.  The tournament fees were covered by the numerous fund raisers the team did - car washes, donut sales, candy sales, bowl-a-thons, concession stand during our own local doubleheaders, golf tournament.  The team also sold space to local businesses on the team banner (displayed wherever they played) and on the team trailer.

Families were responsible for any travel expenses (fuel, food, hotel, etc).

Interesting thread.

My experience dealing with both travel baseball & softball programs is that in general baseball families would rather just write a check instead of putting in sweat equity for a fund raiser.  I work with a softball team that flies to every tournament.  Their parents pay $300 out of pocket.  The rest of their $125,000 budget comes from fundraising… bingo, golf tournament & softball tournament.  Meanwhile, I know baseball teams that continually offer a variety of fundraising opportunities that are not taken advantage of.  

This will be a fun thread to keep an eye on.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

$1,300 for a PO and $1,800 for a position player.  Includes very nice uniforms w pants, access to a great indoor facility year around, winter Saturday 3hr practices, summer practices 2 days/wk, and showcase tournaments every weekend June and July.

$2,800 for us.  (I guess I'm the winner so far)  Included three practices a week from November through February.  Two pants, three jerseys, a couple caps.  Soemtimes they got a pullover, and shorts.  8 tournaments during the summer, and one showcase in early June.

Fundraising was available, working the concession stand at St Louis Blues games.  Made about 80-100 a night doing that.

I think I need to move!!  $3200 practices 2x week from January. Uniform ( 1 pair of pants, shirt hat) 5 tournaments and league that they use as practice.  All travel expenses are the parents responsibility. Sadly the norm around here. 

Also includes coaches fees

For $3200 I want former major leaguer as coaches lol. 

Is this a top program in your region?

The cost for my son's 18U team is 235.00 per month from June-January.There is a 40.00 charge for jersey and hat.Tournaments were an additional 80.00 per player.Our team played in a Connie Mack Summer League and Connie Mack Fall League ,Each of these Leagues cost each player an additional 100.00.

During the summer we had 2 practices a week at a high school.One of the practices was dedicated to conditioning,J Band/K band work and much more.Great stuff ! Two Connie Mack games on the weekend up in Irvine.

During the fall we have one night practice a week at UCSD.Sometimes we played games instead of practice.Every Sunday we played one Connie Mack game up in Irvine.On a couple of Saturdays we played scout teams

Our team played in The Premier FireCracker Classic and Under Armour Southwest Championships which are the two best summer 18U tournaments in Southern California.We also played in the PG EvoShield Tournament in Phoenix in September.

The head coach/ program director is the Area Scout Supervisor for an MLB team. He does not think the big Florida tournaments are worth the expense for a SoCal team. I agree ! We always had college coaches and MLB scouts at our games in San Diego,Irvine,and at the big tournaments. No need to leave Southern California.

Our coach/program director has helped place EVERY player that wants to play at the next level.MLB draft,D1,D2,D3,NAIA. I think this is an important consideration when looking at teams.

It is one of a few that claim to be the top. They all do the same things,charge the same, steal players back and forth, and coaches too. It's crazy.  IMO totally not worth it. It's become such a business. Unfortunately, it's play with one of these organizations, or play with a rec team. 

 It truly is a business now, I have seen some successful programs charge Big money to play in their organization and the quality coaches that paved the way are not even there anymore. Or they bring in a complete team and coach with nothing better than rec ball experience and the parents now pay large fee's with similar results.

$2250, PO, includes 2 complete very nice uniforms, all tournys, year around access to indoor facility with some weights/plyo equip. Also 2 days during the week for practice at a all turf NAIA facility included as well.  They also feature guest speakers, such as area scouts and MLB GM and a couple of SEC coaches have visited to tell the kids and parents what they have to do to get considered outside of the field.  My son has been impacted and we as the ones footing the bill for this have been impressed. 

2lefties, I'm glad your in a happy situation, but there are a lot of folks out there not getting what they are paying for. We like where we are at, and my son works his butt off so he can stay there.

2050.Does not include unforms that they insist you buy each year.NO team practices.7 tourneys.acess to indoor building that's always full of the 14u and under.Still can't figure how the kids that will not even play school ball till fall of 14 rate over the kids that will be playing school ball in three weeks.

2900 for Fall baseball (4 plus tourneys and 20 plus games), Nov thru Mar indoor practice and spring ball (4 plus tourneys and 20 plus games).  Does not include uniforms.  damned if you do and damned if you don't I guess.  payment plan helps a lot.

I ran a 15U/16U team the past 2 summers.  We played 7 quality tourneys...had 4 jerseys, 2 pants, 2 hats and a pullover.  Paid for some meals between games on the weekends.  Our kids paid $600...though coaches were volunteers so no pay to them. Won 2 of the tourneys including wins from teams from "big time" organizations.  We also ran a tourney that netted us a nice profit, so true out of pocket cost for our kids was actually only about $450 ea....and we only carried 11 full time kids.   My son is in a new organization this year...that is well known and very good.  7 very good tourneys, including PG....and paid coaches $1400 (less for PO's) includes uniforms.  No winter workout opportunity, except pitchers...but it's a 2-hour drive.  Hearing numbers of $2700+ is ridiculous....the money is going directly in someone's pocket. 

of course the money is going to sombodies pocket. unless you have a gruop you want to recuit, organize and run - I want to pay for an organization (assuming it is a good one) so I get the quality instruction and product.

As for us -

Summer May-July - 8 tournaments, practice twice a week (one indoor, one outdoor) and 2 coaches - 1400.00

Fall- 6 or 7 tournaments, practice twice a week, 2 coaches - 800.00

in my opinion compared to what else is in our area it is great value for a product that both I and my son a very happy with. from the parents I have spoken with in other sports baseball is still not expensive

Cost is $600. 1x week November thru February indoor practice (could, 2 set uniforms including  pullover, 2 paid coaches, last year 10 tournaments, this year 7 (summer after senior year, so most if not all boys know what is happening for college, We do run a tournament for a fund raiser and have several big local sponsors that original founder has brought in.

I helped coach a team before last year for 8 years, 1 paid coach from 14u and 15u, before that Dad's. $800 to play 11-13 tournament including uniforms. Did a big Monte Carlo for a fundraiser that brought in about $4000 in one night.

Both teams are very tranparent with finances. They put out a "financial statement" of income and expenses. They do them periodically. Something like December (after initial team fees have been collected and after starting to pay for tournaments), after the big fund raiser whenever that is, Start of games, and ever month after that until end of year.

They are both simple spread sheets of what is coming in and going out. I know it makes the parents feel better knowing where their money is going.

When looking for a new team last year he had opportunities to be on the top 3 or  4 organizations in our areas. When I asked if I could see how they spent the teams money. They said they could not / would not do that. We walked away. I simply want to know what how my money is being spent. I have no doubts most of these are very reputible. I have no problem spending money on a person that is going to directly be helping my son (coach, specific trainer, etc) but do not want to pay for the guy who has no bearing on how good a a baseball player my son becomes. I know there has to be someone in big organizations that does the CEO type work. Again I am not afraid to pay him to an extent, but about 7 or 8 years ago, a guy from this area was found to be making over $75,000 for running 12 teams. THAT is a lot of money for that and I have no desire to pay for that.  

i get all of that and it is a fair opinion to have, i just don't care. if the price is fair or what i deem to be fair, the team is well run and the product is what it is represented to be...why do i care if a guy who builds the organization makes 75k or 100k or whatever? as long as the price is understood and the product delivers.

That is very fair as well. The cost of those organizations were well over $1200. I think I got exact same thing for $600 to $800, by not paying for the organization overhead.  Simply one mans opinion and choice I have been know to be wrong, Just ask my wife LOL. but in this case, in this area, I don't think so. 

I see it as a business.

I don't go in to the local sub shop and ask the owner how much he makes.  I look at the price of the sub, and decide if I want to buy it or not.  Whatever happens behind the scenes isn't my concern.  If I don't like the quality of the product for the price being charged, I simply move on to the next place.

If it was a non-profit that's a different story...

Chefmike - I hate the long quoted trains.

if you found what an academy program provides for 800 bucks i don't blame you one bit!! i am even a little envious to be honest!!

in our area i am not aware of any organization that is able to provide the coaching, contacts and facilities for that. Most often the summer alone is 1500 and many are higher...supply and demand in action i guess.

Rob, another very fair point. I know all the ones around here are non profit (or at least that is my perception)

old school, both teams (one he used to be on for $800 and one he is on now for $600) are 1 team operations, after this summer they will no longer exist. Both started by a couple dads who were initial coaches and saw the need to have paid coaches and much better instruction at 14u. facilties wise both teams have access to HS fields for games and practices at very little to no cost.A big chunk of money goes to the indoor facility they rent in winter.

I guess I have been blessed.

Somewhere around $1800 - $2000 not including unis which run about $300 if you need a full one.  The team's been together for a few years now so most kids only buy new pants and hats every year.  This includes a private training facility and approx. 8 weekend tourneys.  Each team is guaranteed 2 hours of hitting cage time at the facility and 2 hours use of the local college field house as part of the fees.  The facility is open to all players year round, first come first serve for 1/2 cage use.  In addition the league has contacts with a lot of the college coaches in the area and regularly brings them in for private camps and showcases.  

Each year each team has to run 1 fundraiser.  Our team normally sells superbowl squares.  This helps to offset some of our fees.  In addition each team is responsible for finding a min of 5 players to play in the yearly hold-em tourney.  The hold-em tourney pot is split between the winner and the organization.  This money is used to run the facility for the year.