Youth baseball — long a widely accessible American pastime — has become overrun by $10,000-per-year, for-profit travel leagues. Zachary Crockett peers inside the dugout.

SOURCES:
- Linda Flanagan, author.
- Nick Mackenzie, future New York Yankees shortstop.
- R.J. Mackenzie, physical education teacher and baseball dad.
- John Miller, journalist and baseball coach.

RESOURCES:
- "The Cost of Youth Baseball Is Getting Absurd," by Adam Minter (Bloomberg, 2024).
- "Perfect Game Sees Prosperity Thanks To New Investments In Youth Sports," by Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr. (Forbes, 2024).
- "How America Sold Out Little League Baseball," by John W. Miller (America Magazine, 2022).
- "In Youth Sports, Talent Helps but Money Rules," by Roman Stubbs (The Washington Post, 2022).
- Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids Sports and Why It Matters, by Linda Flanagan (2022).
- "State of Youth Sports: Parents, Policymakers Better Appreciate Physical Activity, Face Barriers to Help Kids Play," by Jon Solomon (The Aspen Institute, 2022).

EXTRA:
- Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids Sports and Why It Matters, by Linda Flanagan (2022).

Little League (Replay)

The Economics of Everyday Things