Where does all that money go?

Today's post is about where all the money goes. On an unrelated note, it appears that the rumored three premier teams per age group for CUP was a bit overblown. Based on the website info, they are rostering one or two premier teams in each age group, with more boys teams than girls teams. Not really surprising given the quality of girls teams at clubs like Ohio Elite, Warren County and Classics Hammer. Those clubs have traditionally had very strong girls programs, and were less likely to lose players to CUP than the boys. Now back to finances. :-)

Fees for youth soccer in Cincinnati vary based on a number of factors. These include:

• Club
• Age
• Level of Play
• League(s)
• Tournaments
• Coach/Trainer
• Travel
  

Fees in Cincinnati can range anywhere from $100.00 per season for a parent-coached U7 team to $2000.00+ per season for a professionally coached U17 team. This is due to a number of reasons (which I'll be happy to go through.) First, let's talk about clubs. Some clubs exist as non-profit organizations to provide kids a place to play competitive soccer, and they add up all the costs for a team and divide by the number of players. That's what you pay. They get their fields from a township or county at little to no cost, usually have parent coaches, who donate their time, and they get good prices on uniforms, etc. These would be the least expensive teams to play for, but generally these teams do not play at the highest level of play (Premier or Elite). At the other end of the spectrum are the clubs that are professionally run, and charge fees based on running the organization, not based on each team. They need to recoup costs for their officers, directors of coaching, coaches, affiliations, advertising and a number of other costs you would expect to find in a business. These are the clubs that are trying to attract the best players in Cincinnati, and will play at the highest levels, and will generally be the most expensive.

For the typical select team, you can expect to spend anywhere from $250 - $500 per season. There is a Fall season (August to November) and a Spring season (March to June). These fees typically include league fees, referee fees, field fees (if any) and club fees. As you approach the $500 level, you may also have trainer costs and tournaments included in the costs as well.

Premier/Elite teams will generally run between $500 - $1000 per season, at least through U14. In addition to the fees you would see with select teams, Premier programs have to pay for the professional coaches (including travel costs for away tournaments), costs to run their soccer complexes, fees for infrastructure (websites, online registrations, etc.) and in some cases they are paying for affiliations with other organizations (the Columbus Crew for example has an affiliation program for youth organizations.) Some of the top programs even have people dedicated to helping players get on college teams, coordinating showcases with college coaches, etc. These clubs also have professional directors of coaching, who can cost the club in the six figures for top coaches.

Once you reach U15, high school age, these costs jump, but the season runs from November to June, instead of a Fall and Spring season. Those fees can exceed $2000 per season for the top premier programs.

Many clubs have tournaments and other events to help raise money to offset the fees. A good tournament can pull 250 - 300 teams, which at $450 - $500 per team, can generate significant revenue for a club.

Some other costs you may encounter. Summer and Winter training. 3 v 3 or 6 v 6 summer tournaments. Winter Futsal or indoor soccer leagues. Uniform "extras" like training jerseys, bags, club soccer balls, warm-ups, etc. And don't underestimate travel costs for tournaments - an away tournament can easily set you back $500 - $1000 dollars if it's a long drive over a long weekend, once you add up gas, hotel, meals, etc.

The important part of this discussion is to make sure you are placing your player at the proper level of play, and make sure you're getting what you pay for. And keep in mind there is not a club in Cincinnati or anywhere else that can put your player on a college team with a scholarship - the only way that can happen is for the player to earn that privilege on the field. All a club can do is help put the player in the right place to show what they can do.