How private equity ate youth sports

私募股权如何吞噬了青少年体育

Today, Explained

2026-09-09

25 分钟
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Big investors are pouring money into kids' sports and parents say it’s ruining the game. This episode was produced by Danielle Hewitt, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact checked by Hady Mawajdeh and Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunagan, and hosted by Noel King. The Curaçao Region from Willemstad celebrates winning the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series Championship against the Mountain Region from Henderson, Nevada at Lamade Stadium on August 30, 2026 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox members get $20 off their membership right now. Transcript at ⁠⁠vox.com/today-explained-podcast⁠.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  • Everything is more expensive these days,

  • but many American parents will know that signing a kid up to play sports has gotten wildly expensive.

  • Youth sports, it turns out, are big business.

  • It is now estimated to be bringing in about $40 billion a year in revenue.

  • That's about twice as much as the NFL.

  • The tipping point came during the pandemic when the low-key, low-stress, cheap...

  • Rec leagues shut down.

  • Parks shut down and park and recreation budgets were cut.

  • The private sector and private leagues and club teams and travel teams,

  • they were able to get back up and running much quicker.

  • The private teams that filled the gap are sometimes owned by big private equity firms like Bain Capital,

  • whose chief goal is making a profit.

  • So now American families are buckling under the cost of uniforms and hotels and flights and apps and coaching.

  • Is money-wrecking youth sports.

  • That's coming up on Today Explained from Vox.

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