The Rising Cost of Youth Sports and the Toll on Today’s Families

Youth sports are more than just a pastime. They are a multi-billion dollar business that begins in elementary school and continues into a college system,  certainly as competitive as the pros. The movies Hoosiers, Hoop Dreams, Friday Night Lights and Lucas are just a few of the ways that popular culture has reflected our youth sports obsession. What was once a gentle diversion for kids, is today sometimes the difference between setting the stage for success or failure later in life. Journalist and sports management Professor Mark Hyman has been looking at the issues surrounding youth sports for years and in his new book he concludes that it is clearly The Most Expensive Game in Town. My conversation with Mark Hyman: