VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Youth sports are getting more expensive. Equipment, jerseys, and travel costs are climbing, and families are paying 46% more for their child's primary sport than they were five years ago, according to the Aspen Institute's Project Play.
The most recent numbers from the report found the average family paid nearly $1,500 annually for one child's sports experiences in 2024. Those costs include travel, registrations, equipment and more.
Beckett Fitzpatrick is one of many kids heading back to school and back to sports this fall.
"I hunt, fish. I play hockey, and I'm gonna play football this year," Fitzpatrick said.
That means his family needs to budget for the right equipment, pads, and lessons — all things that add up quickly.
Philip Powell, sales manager at Academy Sports and Outdoors in Virginia Beach, said his store is a place families can find competitive prices.
"Cost of living is getting expensive, so having that peace of mind knowing that you're saving some money... it is a good feeling, honestly. I know it is for me," Powell said.
Academy Sports also offers price protection for shoppers.
"We also offer price matching guarantees and then we beat the competitors by 5% on top of that," Powell said.
Sports aren't the only extracurricular expense families face. Kids involved in the arts could be paying a couple hundred dollars per month. At local music schools in the Hampton Roads area, lesson rates vary by instrument, the child's age, and the type of instruction.
In Virginia, not all schools provide individual instruments for free, so families may need to pay out of pocket to rent or buy their own.
For families looking to cut costs, online marketplaces and local "Buy Nothing" Facebook groups are options worth exploring. Play It Again Sports in Newport News and Chesapeake buys and sells used sporting goods, offering another opportunity to save.
A little planning — and knowing where to look — can go a long way toward keeping kids in the game.
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