High school sports have proven to be essential for students since students who participate in athletics have better academic outcomes, higher self-esteem, and better social skills. However, with the benefits come the rising costs. High school athletic departments must contend with recurring expenses like equipment, insurance, official fees, and transportation. For some sports, like football, basketball, track, and wrestling, the expenses can be overwhelming.

One major expense that many high schools face is buying new equipment. Schools must keep up with the constant wear and tear of equipment, which can be challenging, and often expensive. According to Mater Dei Catholic High School Athletic Director, Tom Tarantino, maintaining equipment costs approximately $150,000 per year. To keep up with the recurring demand, the school must proactively budget and save, focusing on equipment costs every year.

In addition to overcoming the cost of equipment, high school athletic departments must also address liability and insurance demands. They must ensure they protect their student-athletes while still being able to afford the necessary coverage. Schools must have adequate insurance coverage in place in case something unexpected happens. Injuries can happen at any time; sports programs must prioritize protecting their students.

Officials’ fees have also been a significant expense for high school sports programs. Typically, high schools hire officials from outside their district who have more experience, which raises fees. Moreover, schools have to pay an additional agency fee on top of the officials they hire to cover any liability in case something unexpected happens. According to the Wall Street Journal, the average costs of hiring a referee or official range from $65 to $85 per game. Schools should expect to pay officials a considerable amount of money, especially for high profile games or tournaments.

Transportation costs represent a significant portion of high school athletic budgets, especially when they have to transport teams cross-county or even cross-state. It can be quite expensive to house, feed, and transport an entire sports team to a game or a tournament. Schools are responsible for paying for buses and renting hotels, which can equate to thousands of dollars per season. For example, NBC News reported that some high school football programs spend more than $50,000 on transportation and lodging expenses during a single season.

For high-profile sports like football, basketball, track, and wrestling, schools must pay extra money to host the games themselves. Schools must hire a security team, pay ticket scanners, and even lease a public address system’s usage. These additional costs are necessary to ensure no safety issues arise during games or meets, but they add up quickly.

Thus, with all these expenses, athletic departments have cut sports programs, reduced coaches’ salaries, and increased fees for student-athletes. The rising cost does not stop there. Schools must continue to adapt to the ever-changing student-athlete demographics. Students are cross-training more, which means that schools must have the necessary equipment to accommodate them. Equity for male and female students continues to be a concern, and schools must ensure a balance while trying to keep up with rising costs.

High school sports are expensive, and it is becoming harder and harder for some schools to sustain their athletic programs. Sometimes costs can prohibit students from participating in sports programs. Often, schools require students to pay for their uniforms, equipment, and even officials’ fees. This unfortunate burden only adds to the stress and demands that student-athletes face every day. With the cost of sports becoming even more expensive, some families are faced with the agonizing task of deciding whether their child should participate in high school sports.

Given the rising cost of high school sports, school districts have started seeking new sources of funding to support these essential programs that provide essential benefits to their students. One possible means of navigating this issue is the use of corporate sponsorships and advertising. Advertisements on school banners, sports equipment, or facilities, could generate additional income to offset some of the costs that high school sports create. This strategy could generate substantial amounts of revenue, helping fund athletic programs while creating more opportunities for student-athletes.

In conclusion, high school sports are worth the expense; however, with the rising costs of equipment, insurance, officials, transportation, and other various costs, it has become apparent that changes are necessary. Athletic directors, school districts, and communities must work together to find creative means to fund sports programs to ensure the opportunity for students to participate. We need our high school sports programs and must work to support them so that students can continue to benefit from the positive outcomes associated with athletic participation.

Works Cited:

Bloomfield, Jonathan. “The High Cost of Youth Sports.” Wall Street Journal, 24 Jan. 2014, www.wsj.com/articles/the-high-cost-of-youth-sports-1390640815.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators. “High School Sports Costing More to Play.” NBC News, NBC Universal, 16 June 2013, www.nbcnews.com/video/high-school-sports-costing-more-to-play-31836355776.

Tarantino, Tom. “The Cost of a High School Athletic Program.” Interview by Jenny Santoro. 2018.