National Survey

“Why Does it Cost between $75-$85 to play baseball?”

“Where does the registration money go?”

“Why are their fundraisers?”

            The National Little League Association did a national survey of baseball programs throughout the eastern coast. All recreation baseball programs are funded through their local recreation councils within their county. They do not get money from their local recreation councils but all funds must be run through the local recreation council. This ensures that it is all non-profit and no person benefits financially from any funds raised by a program. The local recreation councils monitor all deposits and checks.

            All programs, whether it be baseball, soccer, basketball, cheerleading, must raise all of the funds to operate their program themselves. They must be self-supporting. In fact, most programs are required to donate any profits, if any, back to the local recreation council.

            All programs try to keep the individual costs to a minimum by relying on fundraisers, concession stand sales, and sponsorships to help fund the program. When parents do not participate in fundraisers, or ask relatives or other business owners to make a sponsorship donation, it forces the programs to raise the individual costs per player. With the rising costs of uniforms, equipment, etc., all recreation programs are facing the necessity to increase registration fees.

            The following is a list per the survey of what you get for your registration fees based on 200 players:

Uniforms - shirts, pants, hats, socks, belts @$45 per player-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,000.00

Coaches’ shirts and hats @$65 based on 20 teams -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $1,300.00

Baseballs -remember all those lost foul balls -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,190.00

Batting helmets -remember all those helmets thrown on the ground -

this is based on replacing for 2 teams per year - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $150.00

Catcher’s equipment - replacing for 2 teams per year - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$750.00

Bases and their anchors- they don’t last forever - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300.00

Umpire costs - this really varies for some programs that have

   their managers and parents umpire but the national average is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8,320.00

Trophies based on 200 players - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,500.00

Scorebooks, printing costs, office supplies, first aid kits, rakes, drying

compound, chalk to line the fields, chalk liners, brooms, spot a pots, gasoline

for the lawnmowers, lawnmowers, equipment bags, bats, tees, bounce check fees,

practice balls, training classes or facilities, spare umpire equipment,

portable back stops, homeplates, field draggers, bathroom supplies/disinfectants,

kitchen supplies, website costs, copying charges, and many other items - . . . . . . . . . . . varies

This would amount to at least $115.00 per player