Parents offer their teen $20,000 cash not to play travel hockey this year

Children’s sports have become more than just a pastime for parents. The team building exercise has become a financial investment that only the privileged few are entitled to participate in.

TikToker Liz McKenney took to the video-sharing site in shock after a parent told her they had offered to pay their son $20,000 to NOT play travel hockey that year.

McKenney told the story of parents who offered their teen $20,000 to quit travel hockey for a season.

Apparently irritated by the time commitment and expense of the extracurricular activities, these parents were at their wits’ end.

Why the huge sum of $20,000, you ask? Because that’s the amount this family has to spend every year so he can play.

Perhaps the craziest part of McKenney’s story: the teen said “no.”

McKenney jokingly said what we’re all thinking: “So I guess I’m just asking if there’s anyone out there willing to pay me not to play hockey this year – because I’ll say, ‘Yes.'”

The costs of children’s sports are untenable for most parents.

According to data from Project Play, the average family spends nearly $900 per year on one child’s sports. Add to that siblings and the fact that most children play different sports each season, and the bill runs well into the thousands. In NJ, some travel football programs charge $4,000 per athlete for a three-month season.

While most parents will do whatever it takes to make their children’s dreams come true, the sad reality is that according to a 2019 study, most children will quit their favorite sport by the age of 11.

These costs highlight the privilege and economic inequality that seems to underline the once-vaunted institution of youth sports. The days of volunteer parent coaching and local businesses providing “Bad News Bears” style jerseys are a thing of the past.

RDNE Stock Project / Canva Pro

Children’s sports are big business. Middle-class families struggle to finance these hobbies, meaning underprivileged communities are completely left out.

Charlie Maher, professor emeritus at Rutgers and also a sports psychologist for the Cleveland Guardians, told NJ.com, “It’s like creating a sports caste system. The privileged will have more opportunities to learn, better instruction, and more opportunities for pay-to-play. Then children from communities where the economy is not there, where parents literally don’t have the money, will be left behind.”

While all children’s sports have a cost, hockey seems to be the most outrageous.

According to Hockey Think Tank, the average cost for a hockey season is $10,000-20,000, including travel, equipment and coaching expenses.

US teams can make between 5 and 10 air trips per year, requiring hotel stays for each trip, so travel appears to make up the bulk of payments.

The time commitment is also nothing to doubt.

Teams can play 20 to 40 games per season, in addition to two practices per week. A season can consist of more than 100 ‘sessions’, and these athletes can be as young as seven years old.

Why would anyone turn down $20,000?

Hockey is clearly something this teenage boy is incredibly passionate about, but his parents are clearly struggling.

Sometimes families have to try to find a balance, and they hoped that by highlighting the cost to their son, he would understand the difference between value and pleasure.

He is clearly privileged to continue playing, and his parents are fortunate to be able to give him that opportunity.

Madison Piering is a writer for YourTango’s news and entertainment team, specializing in human interest and pop culture topics.

McKenney told the story of parents who offered their teen $20,000 to quit travel hockey for a season.

The costs of children’s sports are untenable for most parents.

While all children’s sports have a cost, hockey seems to be the most outrageous.

Why would anyone turn down $20,000?

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