It’s no secret that the cost of sports is continuously rising. From participation fees to travel expenses, shoes and apparel to equipment, each year the financial burden on parents increases. That’s why Good Sports commissioned The Harris Poll to survey more than 700 parents of minors (referred to as parents throughout) to identify the core issues and how it’s affecting them and their children’s ability to participate.

Nearly all parents (95%) agree that children benefit from playing sports, with parents who have a child currently playing sports more likely than those who don’t to say children benefit greatly from playing a sport (74% vs. 43%). Despite recognizing the potential benefits of sports for children, parents are starting to feel the stresses that come with the associated costs.

According to the survey, 75% of parents whose children have ever played sports say they have strongly considered pulling their children out of sports, with more than 1 in 5 (21%) citing the unsustainable cost of participating as a reason why, more so than the time commitment being too demanding (19%) or negative impacts on academic performance (17%. Nearly 3 out of 5 parents whose children are currently playing sports (58%) say paying for the required sports equipment that their children need to play has become a financially stress for their family. Additionally, almost 1 of 5 parents whose children have ever played sports (18%) report going into debt in order to afford for their children to play sports.

Moreover, 56% of parents are worried they will not be able to enroll their children in a sport next year due to rising costs of participation.

What does this mean for children? They will miss out on both the physical and emotional benefits sports have to offer because they are being priced out of the opportunity to play. There is a widespread recognition that sports are critical for children’s development, yet many families around the country are unable to afford the costs. The rising costs of participation pose significant challenges for many families, leading to difficult decisions that no one wants to have to make.

Ultimately, these findings underscore the need for more accessibility and affordability amongst the youth sports community to ensure all children can participate and are not kept on the sidelines.

For the full methodology and extended survey findings, click here.

About The Harris Poll

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. To learn more, please visit www.theharrispoll.com