{
  "_comment": "Every figure on the page traces to one of these records. 'method' distinguishes parent surveys from published fee schedules from market reports — they measure different things. 'flag' marks estimates, single-survey figures, or figures verified only via search-indexed excerpts of the cited page.",
  "_verification_note": "Research was performed in a sandboxed environment whose proxy blocked direct page fetches; figures marked flag:'excerpt-verified' were confirmed via search-indexed content of the cited URL (cross-checked across independent queries where possible) rather than a full-page read. Nothing is estimated from memory.",
  "sources": {
    "aspen2019": {
      "short": "Aspen/Utah State 2019 survey",
      "name": "Aspen Institute Project Play & Utah State University Families in Sport Lab — 2019 National Youth Sport Survey",
      "url": "https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/FINAL-Utah-State-Parent-Survey-Report.pdf",
      "year": 2019,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "National survey of 1,032 parents of youth-sport participants (oldest active child); spending per child, per sport, per year across registration, equipment, travel, lessons, camps. Per-sport means (Table, p.15): baseball $659.96, basketball $426.78, field hockey $2,124.62, golf $925.38, gymnastics $1,580.28, ice hockey $2,582.74, lacrosse $1,289.22, soccer $536.90, swimming $786.03, tennis $1,170.09, volleyball $595.49, all sports $692.53 (range $0-$34,900). Cheerleading had only 21 respondents, grouped under 'Other sports' - no cheer figure exists in the primary data.",
      "flag": "primary-verified - full report PDF obtained and read directly; cost-relevant tables reproduced in this repo at data/raw/aspen-2019-utah-state-survey-excerpt.md"
    },
    "aspen2022": {
      "short": "Aspen/TeamSnap fall 2022 survey",
      "name": "Aspen Institute State of Play 2022 — Fall 2022 parent survey (Utah State & Louisiana Tech, with TeamSnap)",
      "url": "https://projectplay.org/state-of-play-2022/costs-to-play-trends",
      "year": 2022,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "2,027 parents of children 5-18 who regularly play sports, fielded Sept 22 - Oct 9, 2022, recruited via TeamSnap. DIFFERENT SAMPLING FRAME than the 2019 and 2024 waves (app-user sample skews to organized-sport families); Aspen itself benchmarks its 46% claim 2019-to-2024, skipping this wave.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified; not directly comparable to 2019/2024 waves — shown with open markers on charts"
    },
    "aspen2024": {
      "short": "Aspen 2024 parent survey",
      "name": "Aspen Institute National Youth Sports Parent Survey 2024 (Utah State & Louisiana Tech)",
      "url": "https://projectplay.org/news/2025/2/24/project-play-survey-family-spending-on-youth-sports-rises-46-over-five-years",
      "url2": "https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/National-Youth-Sports-Parent-Survey-FINAL.pdf",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "Nationally representative online survey of 1,848 youth-sports parents (children 6-18), all 50 states + DC, fielded Nov-Dec 2024. Primary-sport spending table (p.25): registration $196.98, equipment $164.59, travel $278.03, lessons $183.36, camps $148.44, other $42.75, TOTAL $1,015.64 (range $0-$24,600); other-sports spending $528.71. Per-sport breakout (p.114) covers ONLY six sports: basketball $875.97, soccer $910.22, baseball $1,112.50, tackle football $633.72, flag football $444.04, dance $2,048.31. Hockey/golf/lacrosse/tennis/swim/volleyball/cheer were not broken out - their primary-sport counts (16/15/13/31/34/58/58) were too small. Source of the headline '46% increase since 2019 ... twice the rate of price inflation.'",
      "flag": "primary-verified - full report obtained and read directly; cost-relevant tables reproduced in this repo at data/raw/aspen-2024-parent-survey-excerpt.md"
    },
    "bls_cpi": {
      "short": "BLS CPI-U all items",
      "name": "BLS CPI-U, all items, U.S. city average, annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0)",
      "url": "https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SA0",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "official price index",
      "methodology": "Annual-average index values 2016-2025 (1982-84=100), verified against the BLS cu.data flat files as mirrored by the palewire cpi package v2.0.10.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "bls_sars": {
      "short": "BLS recreation services CPI",
      "name": "BLS CPI-U, recreation services, U.S. city average, annual averages (series CUUR0000SARS)",
      "url": "https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SARS",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "official price index",
      "methodology": "Annual-average index values 2016-2025 (Dec 2009=100), same verification path as CUUR0000SA0.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "bls_serf03": {
      "short": "BLS fees-for-lessons CPI",
      "name": "BLS CPI-U, fees for lessons or instructions (series CUUR0000SERF03)",
      "url": "https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SERF03",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "official price index",
      "methodology": "Annual-average index values 2016-2025 (Dec 1986=100). The closest CPI proxy for organized youth-sport fees; jumped 9.2% in 2023 alone.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "td2016": {
      "short": "TD Ameritrade 2016 survey",
      "name": "TD Ameritrade 'Sports and Parents' survey 2016 (True North)",
      "url": "https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160801005136/en/Parents-Elite-Athletes-Score-Big-Commitment-Kids",
      "year": 2016,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "1,001 parents of children on highly competitive/elite non-school club teams, fielded May 12-17, 2016. Measures MONTHLY spending per child - an elite-club frame, not comparable to Aspen averages.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "td2019": {
      "short": "TD Ameritrade 2019 survey",
      "name": "TD Ameritrade Sports Parents Survey 2019 (The Harris Poll)",
      "url": "https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190515005052/en",
      "year": 2019,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "1,001 US adults 30-60 with a child in club/elite competitive youth sports and >$25k investable assets, fielded Feb 28 - Mar 14, 2019. Monthly spending per child; elite-club frame.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "lendingtree2023": {
      "short": "LendingTree 2023 survey",
      "name": "LendingTree survey on kids' competitive activities",
      "url": "https://press.lendingtree.com/news/press-releases/kids-competitive-activities-lead-to-debt-for-79-of-parents",
      "year": 2023,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "~2,000 parents (QuestionPro panel, nonprobability); $731/child/yr average on after-school activities (sports = 70% of participants); 42% took on debt.",
      "flag": "single survey; measures all extracurriculars, not sports alone"
    },
    "nyl2025": {
      "short": "New York Life 2025 poll",
      "name": "New York Life Wealth Watch sports-parent poll",
      "url": "https://www.newyorklife.com/newsroom/parents-strained-by-youth-sports-costs",
      "url2": "https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250422431192/en/New-York-Life-Wealth-Watch-Parents-Face-Growing-Financial-Strain-Pursuing-Youth-Sports-for-Their-Children",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "1,036 US parents of kids 7-18 in youth sports (all tiers), fielded Mar 1-6, 2025, MoE +/-3pts. Avg ~$3,000/yr across all kids' sports; ~$900 per season primary sport; 21% spend >$5,000/yr; 20% spend >$1,500/season; 25% pulled from savings/emergency funds; 20% reduced or stopped a child's participation due to cost.",
      "flag": "single survey"
    },
    "groundwork_fees": {
      "short": "Groundwork travel-team fee data",
      "name": "Groundwork (youth-sports payments platform) - average travel-team fees by sport",
      "url": "https://medium.com/@groundwork_bill/the-most-and-least-expensive-travel-sports-4f6664d3c2e2",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "payments-platform data",
      "methodology": "Average travel-team fees (fees only, excluding family travel and equipment): volleyball $3,159, gymnastics $2,778, ice hockey $2,529, baseball $1,894. Volleyball fees often bundle team travel.",
      "flag": "platform-user sample, methodology not fully public"
    },
    "facility_rates": {
      "short": "facility rental-rate collection (this site)",
      "name": "Facility rental-rate collection: published hourly ice, court, turf and pool-lane rates at named facilities",
      "url": "https://www.walkermi.gov/271/Private-Ice-Rental",
      "url2": "https://cityofnovi.org/media/kxthfis4/ice-arena-deep-dive.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "published fee schedules (collection)",
      "methodology": "Municipal prime ice: Novi MI $340/hr (plan to $375), Walker MI $340/hr, Richfield MN $255/hr, Waukesha County WI $300/hr, Cabin John MD $390/hr; Worthington MN raised its youth association rate $85 to $115/hr (+35%, 2025) to close a deficit; Jefferson City MO raised rates April 2026; Stowe VT raised rates but increased its resident-youth discount to hold youth nonprofits flat. Guides put NYC-metro ice at $500-$700/hr and the 2022 energy shock at +40-60% on rink operating costs. Black Bear-owned rinks publish no rates (quote-only) - the $320-to-$370 Kensington figure came from the USA Today investigation.",
      "flag": "rates move frequently; each figure carries its date"
    },
    "time2017": {
      "short": "TIME 2017 (WinterGreen)",
      "name": "TIME, 'How Kids' Sports Became a $15 Billion Industry' (Sean Gregory)",
      "url": "https://time.com/4913687/how-kids-sports-became-15-billion-industry/",
      "year": 2017,
      "method": "market report (news citation)",
      "methodology": "WinterGreen Research figures provided exclusively to TIME: US youth-sports economy $15.3B in 2017, +55% since 2010. Also cites a Utah State figure of $2,292/yr avg family spend - note that is per FAMILY (all children), a different denominator than Aspen's per-child-per-sport.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified; WinterGreen methodology not public"
    },
    "wintergreen2019": {
      "short": "WinterGreen 2019",
      "name": "WinterGreen Research youth sports market report (via GlobeNewswire)",
      "url": "https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/12/26/1964575/0/en/Youth-Sports-Market-Projected-to-Reach-77-6-Billion-by-2026-Comprehensive-Industry-Analysis-Insights.html",
      "year": 2019,
      "method": "market report",
      "methodology": "US youth sports market $19.2B, worldwide $24.9B (2019); projected $77.6B worldwide by 2026. Proprietary methodology, not public.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified; treat market-size figures as estimates"
    },
    "playmetrics2025": {
      "short": "PlayMetrics hockey benchmarks",
      "name": "PlayMetrics youth hockey pricing benchmarks (Crossbar registration records, 2015-2025)",
      "url": "https://home.playmetrics.com/blog/youth-hockey-pricing-benchmarks",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "registration-platform data",
      "methodology": "Analysis of actual club registration records: 2025 average club fee $7,055 for Tier 1 (AAA) and $2,448 for Tier 2 (AA/A); Tier 1 +36.4% and Tier 2 +62.6% since 2015; ~20% pandemic dip then ~+60% in three post-pandemic years. Club fees only - excludes equipment, travel, ice extras.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified; implied 2015 dollar levels are computed from the published percentages, not published directly"
    },
    "usahockey_fees": {
      "short": "USA Hockey fee schedules",
      "name": "USA Hockey national membership fee schedules (2022-23 and 2025-26)",
      "url": "https://cdn4.sportngin.com/attachments/document/2d7a-3337018/MembershipFees.2025-26.pdf",
      "url2": "https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/07c9-2734172/USAHockey_Fee_Structure_22-23_4-Up__1_.pdf",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Oldest-youth-tier national registration $70 (2022-23) to $89 (2025-26), +27% in three seasons. Pre-2022 season-by-season series not publicly available.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "usaswimming_fees": {
      "short": "USA Swimming fees",
      "name": "USA Swimming membership fees (2020 vs 2024-25) and 2025 club-dues increase",
      "url": "https://www.usaswimming.org/home/membership/athlete-membership",
      "url2": "https://swimswam.com/usa-swimming-to-propose-221-increase-in-club-dues-beginning-september-2025/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Premium athlete national fee $62 (2020) to $70 (2024-25); club dues $70/yr to $225/yr (+221%) from Sept 2025 - the first club-dues increase since at least 1990, per SwimSwam.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified; pre-2020 athlete-fee series not publicly available"
    },
    "scsc_fees": {
      "short": "Santa Clara Swim Club fees",
      "name": "Santa Clara Swim Club membership agreement 2024-25",
      "url": "https://www.members.santaclaraswimclub.org/pcscsc/UserFiles/Image/QuickUpload/scsc-membership-agreement-2024-2025-_081445.pdf",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Competitive group dues $225-$300/month (~$2,700-$3,600/yr) before meet fees and travel.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified; one club, high-cost region"
    },
    "ajga_fees": {
      "short": "AJGA fee history",
      "name": "American Junior Golf Association entry/membership fees, 2011-2025",
      "url": "https://www.ajga.org/tournaments/fees-and-benefits",
      "url2": "https://www.ajga.org/news/ajga-reduces-membership-fees-in-2022",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Open-tournament member entry $280 in 2011 and 2019; Junior All-Star entry $295 in 2018 and 2023-25; membership fees cut ~10% in 2022. Executive director cites a ~70/30 sponsor/junior cost split (Global Golf Post, globalgolfpost.com/biz/priced-in/).",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "firsttee_pga": {
      "short": "First Tee / PGA Jr. League fees",
      "name": "First Tee chapter fees and PGA Jr. League pricing",
      "url": "https://www.pgajrleague.com/learn/how-it-works",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "PGA Jr. League $120/yr membership plus local program fees; First Tee chapters $50-$195/season (Charleston, Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix chapter pages).",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "cooperstown_dp": {
      "short": "Cooperstown Dreams Park fees",
      "name": "Cooperstown Dreams Park registration fees (2019 vs 2024-26)",
      "url": "https://s3.us-east-1.wasabisys.com/cdp-static-webfiles/forms/2026_Registration_01212025_v2_reviewed.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "$1,295 per player/coach base package for 2024, 2025 and 2026 (official registration PDF). The 2019 figure of $995/player comes from contemporaneous parent-guide coverage (honeyandlime.co), not an archived official document.",
      "flag": "2019 value is a news/parent-guide citation - treat as approximate; Dreams Park is family-owned (no PE) and serves as the page's independent control case"
    },
    "littleleague_fee": {
      "short": "Little League tournament fee",
      "name": "Little League International tournament team fee",
      "url": "https://www.littleleague.org/news/little-league-international-tournament-team-fee-increases-maintain-support-tournament-expenses-local-leagues/",
      "year": 2016,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "All-Star tournament entry raised $50 to $200/team effective 2016 - the only charge Little League International levies on leagues for tournament play.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "soccer_club_fees": {
      "short": "published soccer club fees",
      "name": "Published club fee schedules: Columbia Premier SC, West Side Alliance, SF Glens Academy, AYSO regions",
      "url": "https://www.sfglensacademy.com/club-fees.html",
      "url2": "https://wsasoccer.org/club-info/about-wsa/tryouts/financials/wsa-girls-ecnl-ecnl-rl",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Columbia Premier SC (ECNL) $2,494/yr; West Side Alliance (Girls ECNL-RL) $3,175/yr; SF Glens Academy (MLS NEXT) $3,700-$4,200/yr; AYSO recreational regions $120-$265/season incl. $25 national fee. Club fees typically exclude travel and tournament costs.",
      "flag": "current-year snapshots; no archived historical schedules exist publicly"
    },
    "lax_club_fees": {
      "short": "published lacrosse fees",
      "name": "Published lacrosse fee schedules: Homegrown Lacrosse, True Lacrosse, USA Lacrosse membership",
      "url": "https://www.homegrownlacrosse.org/hsfees1",
      "url2": "https://national.truelacrosse.com/about/faqs/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Homegrown Lacrosse (MN) HS: $700 training + $2,290-$3,000 tournament fees; True Lacrosse up to $4,000/yr year-round HS Premier; USA Lacrosse youth membership $35/yr; town rec programs ~$50-$300/season.",
      "flag": "current-year snapshots"
    },
    "clublaxlife": {
      "short": "Club Lax Life cost log",
      "name": "Club Lax Life - parent-documented club lacrosse costs over 7 years",
      "url": "https://clublaxlife.com/the-real-cost-of-club-lacrosse/",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "parent-documented cost log",
      "methodology": "One family, three players, seven years: club dues $2,500-$7,000/yr; all-in $5,000-$10,000/yr per child.",
      "flag": "anecdotal (single family), but granular"
    },
    "tennis_costs": {
      "short": "junior tennis cost guides",
      "name": "USTA fee caps and junior tennis cost guides",
      "url": "https://ustageorgia.com/tournaments/junior-tournament-criteria/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule + market guides",
      "methodology": "USTA junior membership free; USTA Georgia 2025 max sanctioned entry $47 singles; competitive-track all-in estimates $10,000-$40,000/yr from coaching-industry guides (tennis-prime.com, lessons.com) - wide and weakly sourced.",
      "flag": "all-in ranges are anecdotal/market-guide quality"
    },
    "img_tuition": {
      "short": "IMG Academy tuition",
      "name": "IMG Academy boarding tuition schedules",
      "url": "https://www.imgacademy.com/boarding-school/admissions-tuition",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Boarding tuition $86,400-$89,900 (2023-24) rising to ~$93,900 (2025-26); sport-specific full-year programs $75,400-$99,900 (2026-27 tennis).",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified; ranges vary by sport/program"
    },
    "cheer_gym_fees": {
      "short": "published cheer gym fees",
      "name": "Published all-star cheer gym fee pages: Champions Cheer, Utah Fusion, cheerleading.com fee guide",
      "url": "https://championscheer.net/question/how-much-does-all-stars-cost/",
      "url2": "https://www.cheerleading.com/how-much-are-cheer-competition-fees.html",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Champions Cheer (San Antonio): season tuition $1,595-$2,145 plus competition fees $1,050-$1,200, uniform and travel extra. Utah Fusion: elite tuition $175-$195/month plus extras. Competition entry $100-$200/athlete regional, $400-$650 nationals. Industry guides put full-year all-star all-in at $5,000-$10,000.",
      "flag": "no national survey figure exists for cheer in any year - these gym-level figures are the only public price data"
    },
    "promarket2020": {
      "short": "ProMarket 2020 (Stigler Center)",
      "name": "ProMarket (Univ. of Chicago Stigler Center), 'Like Microsoft, but with More Glitter: The Cheerleading Monopoly Problem'",
      "url": "https://www.promarket.org/2020/02/04/like-microsoft-but-with-more-glitter-the-cheerleading-monopoly-problem/",
      "year": 2020,
      "method": "news citation / academic commentary",
      "methodology": "All-star cheer family spend $2,500-$10,000/yr typical (2020); Varsity market share >80%; gross margins at times >40%.",
      "flag": "commentary citing industry figures, not a survey"
    },
    "volleyball_club_fees": {
      "short": "published volleyball club fees",
      "name": "Published club volleyball fee pages: Cincy Crush, LA Volleyball Club, industry ranges",
      "url": "https://cincycrushvolleyballclub.com/forms--fees.html",
      "url2": "https://betteratvolleyball.com/how-much-does-club-volleyball-cost-and-is-it-worth-it/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Cincy Crush 2026: $1,650/player regional team (9 tournament days). LA Volleyball Club 2025-26: base fees + $650 additional dues per travel tournament. Industry range: national/travel teams $4,000-$6,000/season, average club $3,000-$5,000, excluding player travel and uniforms.",
      "flag": "current-year snapshots; no volleyball figure exists in any Aspen public release"
    },
    "casv_2021": {
      "short": "Cooperstown All Star Village 2021 form",
      "name": "Cooperstown All Star Village 2021 team registration form (pre-acquisition)",
      "url": "https://cdn2.sportngin.com/attachments/document/9625-2219403/Cooperstown_All_Star_Village_2021_Team_Registration_Form.pdf",
      "year": 2021,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "All-inclusive package $1,295.00 per player/coach (2021 season, pre-acquisition by Harris/Blitzer in late 2022); $1,295 no-umpire fee per team; $650 bunkhouse fee ($250 refundable). Completes the before/after test: package ~$1,395/player in 2026 under Unrivaled = +7.7% nominal over five years vs ~+19% CPI - a real-terms decline on the headline package, though a new ~$262 facility fee erodes part of that.",
      "flag": "primary-verified - original PDF obtained and read directly; note 2021 was a COVID-affected season"
    },
    "usav_stayplay": {
      "short": "USAV stay-to-play policies",
      "name": "USA Volleyball qualifier stay-to-play housing policies (Northern Lights, NEQ, Pacific NW Qualifier)",
      "url": "https://northernlightsjuniors.org/events/northern-lights-qualifier/nlq-enter-a-team/nlq-stay-and-play/",
      "url2": "https://www.pacificnwqualifier.org/copy-of-tournament-information-2",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published policy/fee schedule",
      "methodology": "National-qualifier entry ~$1,000/team; teams must book a minimum (~15 room-nights) through official housing or forfeit acceptance; 50-mile local exemption.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "gym_fees": {
      "short": "published gymnastics fees",
      "name": "Published gymnastics fee pages: Georgia Gymnastics Academy, Olympia Gymnastics, Gym X-Treme; USA Gymnastics membership",
      "url": "https://usagym.org/preparing-for-the-2025-2026-season/",
      "url2": "https://georgiagymnasticsacademy.com/class-prices/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Rec classes $132-$155/month at named gyms; Gym X-Treme (OH) Xcel Gold/Level 4 competition fees ~$1,900/season at 12 hr/week; USA Gymnastics athlete membership $20 intro / $54 full (2025-26), with sanction fees raised for 2025-26 citing insurance costs. Optional-level (L9-10) all-in parent reports reach $20,000+/yr (forum consensus - anecdotal).",
      "flag": "team-tier all-in figures are parent-reported (anecdotal)"
    },
    "hockey_assoc_fees": {
      "short": "published hockey association fees",
      "name": "Published association fees: Wilmette Jr. Trevians, Essex Youth Hockey; tier-cost guides",
      "url": "https://www.jrtrevianshockey.com/program/travel-squirt-peewee-bantam/378",
      "url2": "https://www.hockeybudget.com/blog/youth-hockey-cost-2026",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "published fee schedule + market guides",
      "methodology": "Wilmette Jr. Trevians (IL) travel 2025-26: $5,450-$6,250/season. Essex (VT) travel: $1,220-$1,420. Guide ranges: house league $400-$1,200; AA Bantam $3,000-$5,500; AAA registration $5,000-$14,000; AAA all-in family totals $11,500-$24,650 by region (blog-quality).",
      "flag": "all-in ranges are market-guide quality (thin)"
    },
    "varsity_deals": {
      "short": "Varsity Brands deal record",
      "name": "Varsity Brands ownership: Charlesbank/Partners Group 2014, Bain Capital 2018, KKR 2024",
      "url": "https://www.charlesbank.com/news/kkr-completes-acquisition-of-varsity-brands-from-bain-capital-and-charlesbank/",
      "url2": "https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2024-07-03/exclusive-kkr-to-buy-varsity-brands-from-bain-capital-for-4-75-billion-sources-say",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "deal record (press releases + financial press)",
      "methodology": "Charlesbank + Partners Group ~$1.5B (announced Nov 2014, closed Dec 2014); Bain Capital ~$2.5B (announced Jun 19, 2018); KKR ~$4.75B incl. debt (announced early Jul 2024, closed Aug 26, 2024). The 2014 and 2018 prices were never officially disclosed (consistent media reports); the 2024 price is per Reuters' unnamed sources.",
      "flag": "prices media-reported, not officially disclosed"
    },
    "varsity_litigation": {
      "short": "Varsity antitrust record",
      "name": "Varsity antitrust litigation: Fusion Elite ($43.5M, 2023), Jones v. Varsity/Bain ($82.5M, 2024), Open Championship (2026, confidential)",
      "url": "https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2024/varsity-bain-antitrust-settlement-cheerleading-jones-1234778879/",
      "url2": "https://allstarcheerantitrustsettlement.com/",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "court filings + settlement records",
      "methodology": "Fusion Elite All Stars v. Varsity (gyms, W.D. Tenn.): $43.5M, final approval Oct 2023, plus USASF governance caps. Jones et al. (parents/spectators): $82.5M, class period Dec 2016-Mar 2024, fund split 53% competitions / 26% camps / 21% apparel; stay-to-play barred at 35% of Varsity events through 2029. Settlements involve no admission of liability - underlying overcharge claims remain allegations.",
      "flag": "settlement amounts verified; overcharge magnitudes alleged/sealed"
    },
    "okwatch_stayplay": {
      "short": "Oklahoma Watch stay-to-play",
      "name": "Oklahoma Watch, 'Forced Housing, Hidden Kickbacks: How Stay-to-Play Squeezes Sports Parents'",
      "url": "https://oklahomawatch.org/2025/03/13/forced-housing-hidden-kickbacks-how-stay-to-play-squeezes-sports-parents/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "investigative journalism (court records)",
      "methodology": "From Varsity litigation discovery: $20/room kickback in one agreement; 30% of booking-agent commission in another; ~$4M/year collected in room rebates.",
      "flag": "litigation-record evidence, stronger than complaint allegations"
    },
    "img_deal": {
      "short": "IMG Academy sale",
      "name": "Endeavor sells IMG Academy to BPEA EQT (with Nord Anglia), $1.25B",
      "url": "https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230425005615/en/Endeavor-Enters-Agreement-to-Sell-IMG-Academy-to-BPEA-EQT-in-Partnership-With-Nord-Anglia-Education-for-%241.25-Billion",
      "year": 2023,
      "method": "deal record (press release)",
      "methodology": "Announced Apr 25, 2023; closed Jun 28, 2023; $1.25B enterprise value, all cash; included NCSA recruiting.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "threestep": {
      "short": "3STEP Sports record",
      "name": "3STEP Sports (Juggernaut Capital Partners): 50+ acquisitions across lacrosse, volleyball, soccer, baseball",
      "url": "https://juggernautcap.com/2019/05/juggernaut-capital-partners-makes-an-investment-in-3-step-sports/",
      "url2": "https://www.sportico.com/business/sports/2026/youth-sports-operator-3step-explores-sale-1234881899/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "deal record (press releases + financial press)",
      "methodology": "Juggernaut investment May 2019; lacrosse roll-up first (Aloha Tournaments, HoganLax 2021, NXT Sports 2021); Front Range Volleyball; EDP Soccer Dec 13, 2023 (largest owner-operator of US youth soccer leagues, 130,000+ players); ~1,500 events, claims 1-2M athletes, ~$40M EBITDA; exploring sale via Goldman Sachs, 2026. NO before/after pricing at any acquired club has entered the public record.",
      "flag": "pricing effects undocumented publicly - an evidence gap, not evidence of absence or presence"
    },
    "unrivaled": {
      "short": "Unrivaled Sports record",
      "name": "Unrivaled Sports (Josh Harris & David Blitzer): Cooperstown All Star Village, Ripken Baseball",
      "url": "https://www.sportico.com/business/commerce/2024/harris-blitzer-youth-sports-unrivaled-tcg-1234772563/",
      "url2": "https://www.sportspro.com/news/unrivaled-sports-youth-harris-blitzer-investment-dicks-sporting-goods-may-2025/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "deal record",
      "methodology": "Harris/Blitzer bought Cooperstown All Star Village for $116M (late 2022) and majority of Ripken Baseball; launched Unrivaled Sports Mar 27, 2024 (Chernin Group investment); $120M round led by Dick's Sporting Goods, May 2025. All Star Village ~$1,395/player + ~$262 facility fee (2026), vs $1,295/player pre-acquisition (2021 registration form) - see the CASV 2021 source.",
      "flag": "current (2026) fee figures excerpt-verified via LeagueApps registration pages"
    },
    "blackbear": {
      "short": "Black Bear Sports record",
      "name": "Black Bear Sports Group: ice-rink roll-up and vertical integration",
      "url": "https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/25/3244748/0/en/black-bear-sports-group-announces-new-ownership-of-holland-ice-arena-and-hudsonville-ice-arena-millions-in-facility-improvements-planned.html",
      "url2": "https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/black-bear-sports-group-under-investigation-by-attorney-generals-office/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "deal record + investigative journalism",
      "methodology": "Founded 2015 (Murry Gunty); 11 arenas by 2019, 27 by Nov 2021, 47 rinks in 11 states by Feb 2026 - largest US rink owner-operator; also owns the leagues its teams play in (Atlantic Hockey Federation, Tier 1 Hockey Federation). Michigan AG opened an antitrust inquiry (2026); subject of a USA Today investigation.",
      "flag": "rink counts move fast - always cite with dates"
    },
    "usatoday_blackbear": {
      "short": "USA Today Black Bear investigation",
      "name": "USA Today nine-month investigation of Black Bear Sports Group",
      "url": "https://www.aol.com/articles/usa-today-investigates-owner-kensington-091220642.html",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "investigative journalism",
      "methodology": "Documented ice-rental increase at Kensington Valley Ice House after Feb 2024 acquisition: $320/hr to $370/hr charged to the nonprofit youth association. Also: Black Bear TV paywall ($14.99/game, $26-$50/month) replacing free parent filming, with standings-point penalties; a new $50/player/yr registration-and-insurance fee (Jacobin/The Lever).",
      "flag": "the single clearest verified before/after price at a PE-owned youth-sports operator"
    },
    "lovb": {
      "short": "LOVB record",
      "name": "League One Volleyball: club roll-up and funding",
      "url": "https://www.lovb.com/news/100M-in-new-funding-for-league-one-volleyball",
      "url2": "https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2024/league-one-volleyball-raise-pro-league-launch-1234816657/",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "deal record",
      "methodology": "Founded 2020; acquired/affiliated junior clubs (A5 Atlanta, Houston Skyline, Mizuno Long Beach); $35M Series B Sep 2023 (Left Lane, Ares); $100M Nov 21, 2024 (Atwater Capital lead; ~$160M total); 58 clubs/16,000+ athletes at the raise, 77 locations/22,000+ athletes by Jul 2025; pro league launched Jan 2025.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "streamline": {
      "short": "swim-school consolidation",
      "name": "Swim-school consolidation: Streamline Brands (Quad Partners, then Roark-backed Youth Enrichment Brands, 2022)",
      "url": "https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_news/swim-school-franchisor-streamline-brands-consolidates-portfolio-rebrands-to-safesplash/article_a4d37958-1387-44ce-831c-b7f425699e5c.html",
      "year": 2022,
      "method": "deal record",
      "methodology": "PE activity in swimming sits in the learn-to-swim school layer (Streamline/SafeSplash 230+ locations), not competitive club swimming, which remains largely nonprofit.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "powers_gym": {
      "short": "Powers Gymnastics roll-up",
      "name": "Powers Gymnastics (Relevance Ventures) - gymnastics gym roll-up thesis",
      "url": "https://www.relevanceventures.com/perspectives/powers-gymnastics-raises-nearly-17m-in-series-a-funding-round",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "deal record",
      "methodology": "~$17M Series A; stated thesis: acquire gyms at ~3x EBITDA, consolidate ~50, exit at 14-15x - explicitly modeled on the Varsity playbook. Early stage; no Varsity-scale roll-up exists in gymnastics yet.",
      "flag": "announcement-stage; pricing effects unknowable yet"
    },
    "aspen_facts": {
      "short": "Project Play facts page",
      "name": "Aspen Institute Project Play - youth sports facts: challenges",
      "url": "https://projectplay.org/youth-sports/facts/challenges",
      "year": 2022,
      "method": "survey-derived calculation",
      "methodology": "Source of the ~$28B market calculation ($693/child/sport x ~2 sports x ~20M participants) often misattributed to WinterGreen; Aspen suggests the true market is $30-40B.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "insurance2024": {
      "short": "Insurance Journal 2024",
      "name": "Insurance Journal, 'Youth Sports Liability Market in Armageddon Mode'",
      "url": "https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2024/08/05/786607.htm",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "trade journalism",
      "methodology": "Abuse and brain-injury claims collapsed youth-sports liability capacity: governing bodies that bought $5-20M towers now 'lucky to secure $1M'; gymnastics clubs face general-liability-plus-abuse premiums above $25,000.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "fracassi2022": {
      "short": "Fracassi et al. (J. Finance 2022)",
      "name": "Fracassi, Previtero & Sheen, 'Barbarians at the Store?' Journal of Finance (2022)",
      "url": "https://www.nber.org/papers/w27435",
      "year": 2022,
      "method": "peer-reviewed research",
      "methodology": "PE buyouts of consumer-product firms raised prices only ~1% on existing products; growth came from expansion. Contrast: BMJ 2023 systematic review found PE in healthcare associated with cost increases up to +32%. The price effect of PE ownership is contingent on market power over captive customers.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "reason2026": {
      "short": "Reason 2026 (counter-argument)",
      "name": "Reason, 'Is Private Equity Really Buying Up the Rituals of American Childhood?'",
      "url": "https://reason.com/2026/05/29/is-private-equity-really-buying-up-the-rituals-of-american-childhood/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "opinion journalism",
      "methodology": "The most direct published counter-argument: Black Bear owns ~50 of ~2,100 US indoor rinks; many acquired rinks were failing and might have closed; nonprofit leagues often can't break even.",
      "flag": "opinion piece"
    },
    "wapo2026": {
      "short": "Washington Post 2026",
      "name": "Washington Post, 'The soaring price of youth sports: $50 to try out, $3,000 to play'",
      "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/01/07/youth-sports-cost-parents-investors-profit/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Jan 7, 2026 feature on costs and investor consolidation ($40B/yr market; 3STEP 1,000+ clubs; Dick's $120M Unrivaled stake).",
      "flag": null
    },
    "congress2026": {
      "short": "House 'Field of Fees' hearing",
      "name": "US House hearing, 'Field of Fees: Private Equity's Role in the Commercialization of American Youth Sports' + Let Kids Play Act",
      "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/30/private-equity-youth-sports-congress-scrutiny.html",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "legislative record",
      "methodology": "June 2026 House subcommittee hearing (bipartisan); the Let Kids Play Act (Murphy/Booker/Deluzio/Craig) would restrict PE ownership and stay-to-play mandates. Michigan AG opened a youth-hockey antitrust inquiry in April 2026.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "aspen_hours": {
      "short": "Aspen participation/intensity data",
      "name": "Aspen Institute Project Play participation and intensity trend data",
      "url": "https://projectplay.org/state-of-play-2022/costs-to-play-trends",
      "year": 2022,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "Travel-sport participation doubled in one year to 29% of kids (fall 2022); travel costs +19% vs pre-COVID while spending on individual lessons fell 23%; travel was the largest cost category in both 2019 ($196/sport/child) and 2024 ($260). Weekly sport hours (ages 6-18): 13.6 pre-pandemic, 7.2 in June 2020, 16.6 by Sept 2022.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "aspen_participation": {
      "short": "Aspen participation trends",
      "name": "Aspen Institute State of Play participation trends",
      "url": "https://projectplay.org/state-of-play-2024-participation-trends",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "parent survey",
      "methodology": "Average number of sports played by kids 6-17: 1.63 in 2023, down 13% since 2019 - concentration into one sport. Participation gap between <$25k and $100k+ households widened from 13.6 points (2012) to 20.2 points (2024).",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "buckley2017": {
      "short": "Buckley et al. specialization study",
      "name": "Buckley et al., 'Early Single-Sport Specialization: A Survey of 3090 High School, Collegiate, and Professional Athletes' (Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017)",
      "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28812031/",
      "year": 2017,
      "method": "peer-reviewed research",
      "methodology": "45% of high-school athletes specialize in one sport; mean specialization age 12.7 for current HS athletes vs 14.1 for professionals - today's kids specialize ~1.5 years earlier than current pros did.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "batdigest": {
      "short": "Bat Digest BBCOR pricing dataset",
      "name": "Bat Digest, 'BBCOR Bat Pricing Trends in Charts: A Decade of Data (2015-2025)'",
      "url": "https://batdigest.com/blog/bbcor-price-trends-10-years/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "retail price dataset",
      "methodology": "Flagship composite bats reached $500 in 2022 and stayed there; alloy bat prices +57% over 2015-2025; market is bimodal ($200-250 alloy vs $400-500 composite). High-end composites retailed ~$300-$400 in 2011. Little League's 2010 composite moratorium and the 2018 USA Bat standard forced fleet-wide re-purchases.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "sportseta": {
      "short": "Sports ETA industry reports",
      "name": "Sports Events & Tourism Association, State of the Industry reports (with Tourism Economics)",
      "url": "https://www.sportseta.org/blog/2024/04/24/sports-eta-releases-its-2023-state-of-the-industry-report-for-the-128-billion-sport-tourism-industry",
      "year": 2023,
      "method": "industry report",
      "methodology": "Sports-tourism direct spending: $45.1B (2019), $39.7B (2021), $52.2B direct / $128B total impact (2023); 97% of destinations host youth events - youth is the most prevalent event type. Predecessor body NASC grew from 12 member commissions (1992) to 675+ (2014).",
      "flag": "industry-association figures; treat impact multipliers as promotional"
    },
    "bisnow_facilities": {
      "short": "Bisnow facility investment",
      "name": "Bisnow, youth sports facility construction boom coverage",
      "url": "https://www.bisnow.com/national/news/economic-development/youth-sports-building-boom-has-developers-cities-playing-ball-130071",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "trade journalism",
      "methodology": "Over $9B invested in youth/amateur-sport-specific venues since 2017; Sports Facilities Companies operates 100+ facilities.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "littleleague_decline": {
      "short": "Little League participation",
      "name": "Little League participation history (Front Office Sports / The Public's Radio)",
      "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/little-league-participation/",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "participation records (news compilation)",
      "methodology": "Little League peaked at 2,993,760 players (1997), ~2.6M (2008), declining 1.5-3%/yr since - while USSSA (95,000+ teams by 1999; 3.7M members today) and Perfect Game (founded 1995; 1.5M+ participants by 2024) boomed. Displacement evidence: the same kids moved to a format costing 5-10x more.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "ncva_fees": {
      "short": "NCVA tournament fee analysis",
      "name": "Northern California Volleyball Association published fee analysis",
      "url": "https://ncva.com/girls/feeanalysis/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "National-level club teams play ~9 tournaments/season; example team tournament budget $4,050 across 15 tournament days (Power League $1,600 + Presidents Day $875 + Golden State $600 + National Qualifier $975).",
      "flag": null
    },
    "officials2024": {
      "short": "officials shortage coverage",
      "name": "Referee/umpire shortage coverage (SportStars, Athletic Business)",
      "url": "https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/personnel/article/15682076/the-state-of-referee-and-umpire-shortage-in-youth-sports",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "trade journalism",
      "methodology": "Roughly 50,000 high-school officials lost nationally since 2018-19; >70% cite abuse; leagues raising pay and bonuses to retain officials.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "bloomberg2024": {
      "short": "Bloomberg 2024 feature",
      "name": "Bloomberg, 'Private Equity Targets the $30 Billion Youth Sports Industry' (Aug 29, 2024)",
      "url": "https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-08-29/private-equity-targets-30-billion-youth-sports-industry",
      "year": 2024,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Market >$30B/yr (possibly $50B); ~$900/child/season; $150k+-income families more than twice as likely to play travel sports; Cooperstown All Star Village record 12,000 players/763 teams under Unrivaled.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "nyt2025": {
      "short": "NYT 2025 feature",
      "name": "New York Times, 'Youth Sports Are a $40 Billion Business. Private Equity Is Taking Notice' (2025)",
      "url": "https://www.benningtonbanner.com/nyt/nyt_main/youth-sports-are-a-40-billion-business-private-equity-is-taking-notice/article_e115a9a8-a5be-5187-a5b6-7577205feeaf.html",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Source of the Ripken Experience Aberdeen figure ($3,145/team for a 4-day tournament) and the $40B framing; frames higher fees under PE as a risk, not a documented outcome.",
      "flag": "syndicated copy linked (original paywalled); excerpt-verified"
    },
    "stoller2022": {
      "short": "Stoller BIG (2022)",
      "name": "Matt Stoller, BIG newsletter, 'Antitrust and the Fall of a Cheerleading Empire' (Sept 2022)",
      "url": "https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/antitrust-and-the-fall-of-a-cheerleading",
      "year": 2022,
      "method": "analytic journalism",
      "methodology": "Varsity monopoly mechanics: exclusive dealing, loyalty rebates, stay-to-play; all-star cheer family costs $10,000-$20,000/yr at the high end.",
      "flag": "advocacy-adjacent analysis; cost figures anecdotal"
    },
    "jacobin2025": {
      "short": "Jacobin 2025",
      "name": "Jacobin, youth hockey private equity investigation (Nov 2025)",
      "url": "https://jacobin.com/2025/11/youth-sports-hockey-private-equity",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Black Bear at 42 rinks/11 states (Nov 2025); the new $50/player registration-and-insurance fee; streaming pricing.",
      "flag": "advocacy-oriented outlet; figures cross-checked with USA Today/The Lever where possible"
    },
    "lever2025": {
      "short": "The Lever 2025",
      "name": "The Lever, 'Wall Street Is Paywalling Your Kids' Sports' (Nov 2025)",
      "url": "https://www.levernews.com/wall-street-is-paywalling-your-kids-sports/",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Black Bear TV streaming paywalls, parent filming bans, standings-point penalties for non-compliance.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "npr2025": {
      "short": "NPR 2025",
      "name": "NPR All Things Considered, 'When private equity invests in youth sports facilities' (Nov 25, 2025)",
      "url": "https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5616428/when-private-equity-invests-in-youth-sports-facilities",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Interview corroborating the streaming-paywall and filming-ban reporting.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "prospect2026": {
      "short": "American Prospect 2026",
      "name": "The American Prospect, 'Roots of the Youth Sports Gold Rush' (Feb 2026)",
      "url": "https://prospect.org/2026/02/05/feb-2026-magazine-youth-sports-private-equity/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Estimates $15-19B of the ~$40B market flows through consolidated operators (3STEP, Unrivaled); notes exploitative practices predate PE ownership.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "aelp2026": {
      "short": "AELP report 2026",
      "name": "American Economic Liberties Project, report on private equity in youth sports (Mar 2026)",
      "url": "http://www.economicliberties.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20260211-aelp-sports-fin.pdf",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "advocacy report",
      "methodology": "Varsity market share 'up to 90%'; alleges skating-lesson prices quadrupling to $200 at some Black Bear-acquired rinks; frames Varsity as the template for roll-ups in other sports.",
      "flag": "advocacy organization; use for allegations and framing, not as primary price evidence"
    },
    "murphy2026": {
      "short": "Sen. Murphy Atlantic essay",
      "name": "Sen. Chris Murphy, essay in The Atlantic (from 'Crisis of the Common Good', May 2026)",
      "url": "https://insideinvestigator.org/murphy-private-equity-youth-sports/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "opinion essay",
      "methodology": "First-person account of a 5-month, 60-game Atlantic Hockey Federation season and ~$37/month Black Bear TV; co-sponsor of the Let Kids Play Act.",
      "flag": "linked via summary (original paywalled); a policy advocate's account"
    },
    "deseret2026": {
      "short": "Deseret News 2026",
      "name": "Deseret News, 'The Price of Youth Sports' (May 2026)",
      "url": "https://www.deseret.com/magazine/2026/05/01/the-price-of-youth-sports/",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "journalism",
      "methodology": "Varsity Spirit scale figures: ~600 championships/yr, 350,000 camp athletes, 750,000 competition participants.",
      "flag": "excerpt-verified"
    },
    "nevindy2025": {
      "short": "Nevada Independent fact-check",
      "name": "The Nevada Independent, 'Did youth sports get more expensive between 2018 and 2024?'",
      "url": "https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/did-youth-sports-get-more-expensive-between-2018-and-2024",
      "year": 2025,
      "method": "fact-check journalism",
      "methodology": "Independent verification of the Aspen 46%-vs-inflation framing; notes travel was the top cost category in both survey windows and registration climbed to #2; attributes the rise to specialization and travel, not ownership.",
      "flag": null
    },
    "harris2019pdf": {
      "short": "Harris Poll 2019 data PDF",
      "name": "The Harris Poll, TD Ameritrade Sports Parents Survey 2019 - full data tables",
      "url": "https://theharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Sports-Parents-Survey-2019-Final-Approved.pdf",
      "year": 2019,
      "method": "parent survey (primary data PDF)",
      "methodology": "Full bracket distributions behind the 2019 TD Ameritrade findings. Listed for re-verification; the full distribution was not retrievable in this research environment.",
      "flag": "not fully retrieved - listed so readers can pull the primary PDF"
    },
    "usasf_worlds": {
      "short": "USASF Worlds pricing PDFs",
      "name": "USASF Cheerleading Worlds hotel/commuter package pricing documents",
      "url": "https://usasfmain.s3.amazonaws.com/Worlds/docs/21-22/usasf_worlds_cheer_hotel-pricing_2022.pdf",
      "year": 2022,
      "method": "published fee schedule",
      "methodology": "Documents the mandatory hotel/commuter package structure at Worlds (2021 rates $230-$315/room/night at designated resorts; paid bids up to $650/athlete).",
      "flag": "structure verified; pull PDFs for current rates"
    },
    "fee_dataset": {
      "short": "club-level fee dataset (this site)",
      "name": "Published-fee dataset: 244 fee points from ~200 named clubs, gyms, leagues, tours and governing bodies (data/fees.json)",
      "url": "data/fees.json",
      "year": 2026,
      "method": "published fee schedules (collection)",
      "methodology": "Collected July 2026 by systematic search-extraction of organizations' own fee pages, tryout packets, handbooks and registration PDFs across all ten sports and 25+ states. Every row records organization, location, tier, season, amount, period, coverage notes and the source URL. Fees recorded exactly as stated (per season, month, year, week or event) - never annualized or estimated. Rows traceable only to third-party aggregators were excluded.",
      "flag": "list prices, not family spend; sample skews toward organizations that publish fees - several PE-owned club networks do not"
    },
    "fusion_complaint": {
      "short": "Fusion Elite complaint (primary)",
      "name": "Fusion Elite All Stars v. Varsity Brands - consolidated class-action complaint (W.D. Tenn.)",
      "url": "https://www.classaction.org/media/fusion-elite-all-stars-v-varsity-brands-llc-et-al.pdf",
      "url2": "https://www.classaction.org/media/jones-et-al-v-bain-capital-private-equity.pdf",
      "year": 2020,
      "method": "court filing",
      "methodology": "Primary complaint documents for the gym-class and parent-class antitrust suits, including the exclusive-dealing, rebate-program and market-share allegations summarized on this page.",
      "flag": "allegations, not findings - both cases settled without admission"
    }
  },
  "reading": [
    { "outlet": "TIME", "date": "Aug 2017", "title": "How Kids' Sports Became a $15 Billion Industry", "url": "https://time.com/4913687/how-kids-sports-became-15-billion-industry/" },
    { "outlet": "ProMarket (Stigler Center)", "date": "Feb 2020", "title": "Like Microsoft, but with More Glitter: The Cheerleading Monopoly Problem", "url": "https://www.promarket.org/2020/02/04/like-microsoft-but-with-more-glitter-the-cheerleading-monopoly-problem/" },
    { "outlet": "Matt Stoller / BIG", "date": "Sep 2022", "title": "Antitrust and the Fall of a Cheerleading Empire", "url": "https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/antitrust-and-the-fall-of-a-cheerleading" },
    { "outlet": "Bloomberg", "date": "Aug 2024", "title": "Private Equity Targets the $30 Billion Youth Sports Industry", "url": "https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-08-29/private-equity-targets-30-billion-youth-sports-industry" },
    { "outlet": "Oklahoma Watch", "date": "Mar 2025", "title": "Forced Housing, Hidden Kickbacks: How Stay-to-Play Squeezes Sports Parents", "url": "https://oklahomawatch.org/2025/03/13/forced-housing-hidden-kickbacks-how-stay-to-play-squeezes-sports-parents/" },
    { "outlet": "New York Times", "date": "Jul 2025", "title": "Youth Sports Are a $40 Billion Business. Private Equity Is Taking Notice", "url": "https://www.benningtonbanner.com/nyt/nyt_main/youth-sports-are-a-40-billion-business-private-equity-is-taking-notice/article_e115a9a8-a5be-5187-a5b6-7577205feeaf.html" },
    { "outlet": "The Lever", "date": "Nov 2025", "title": "Wall Street Is Paywalling Your Kids' Sports", "url": "https://www.levernews.com/wall-street-is-paywalling-your-kids-sports/" },
    { "outlet": "NPR", "date": "Nov 2025", "title": "When private equity invests in youth sports facilities", "url": "https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5616428/when-private-equity-invests-in-youth-sports-facilities" },
    { "outlet": "Jacobin", "date": "Nov 2025", "title": "Private Equity Is Coming for Youth Hockey", "url": "https://jacobin.com/2025/11/youth-sports-hockey-private-equity" },
    { "outlet": "Washington Post", "date": "Jan 2026", "title": "The soaring price of youth sports: $50 to try out, $3,000 to play", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/01/07/youth-sports-cost-parents-investors-profit/" },
    { "outlet": "The American Prospect", "date": "Feb 2026", "title": "Roots of the Youth Sports Gold Rush", "url": "https://prospect.org/2026/02/05/feb-2026-magazine-youth-sports-private-equity/" },
    { "outlet": "American Economic Liberties Project", "date": "Mar 2026", "title": "Report on private equity in youth sports", "url": "http://www.economicliberties.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20260211-aelp-sports-fin.pdf" },
    { "outlet": "USA Today", "date": "2026", "title": "Nine-month investigation of Black Bear Sports Group (syndicated)", "url": "https://www.aol.com/articles/usa-today-investigates-owner-kensington-091220642.html" },
    { "outlet": "The Atlantic (Sen. Chris Murphy)", "date": "May 2026", "title": "Essay on private equity and youth sports (summary link)", "url": "https://insideinvestigator.org/murphy-private-equity-youth-sports/" },
    { "outlet": "Deseret News", "date": "May 2026", "title": "The Price of Youth Sports", "url": "https://www.deseret.com/magazine/2026/05/01/the-price-of-youth-sports/" },
    { "outlet": "Reason", "date": "May 2026", "title": "Is Private Equity Really Buying Up the Rituals of American Childhood? (counter-argument)", "url": "https://reason.com/2026/05/29/is-private-equity-really-buying-up-the-rituals-of-american-childhood/" },
    { "outlet": "CNBC", "date": "Jun 2026", "title": "'Field of Fees': Congress scrutinizes private equity in youth sports", "url": "https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/30/private-equity-youth-sports-congress-scrutiny.html" }
  ]
}