The real (optimistic) truth about pay to play soccer in America

Summary

The video script addresses the 'pay-to-play' system in American youth soccer, which disproportionately affects low-income families and hinders talent development. It discusses how this system contrasts with European football, where youth development is largely community-funded. The script features interviews with experts like Marcus Shirez, a youth soccer consultant, and Simon Landout, co-founder of the Open Goal Project, who advocate for more accessible soccer opportunities. They highlight the need for grassroots programs and discuss initiatives like the District of Columbia football club, which offers free-to-play travel teams. The conversation underscores the importance of diverse and inclusive development pathways to strengthen the US national team and the sport's future.

Takeaways

• 😮 The 'pay-to-play' system in American youth soccer is a significant barrier for lower-income families, potentially excluding talented players from accessing quality coaching and development opportunities.
• 📊 In contrast to the US, only 14% of club budgets in European football come from membership fees, with the rest funded through various means, making soccer more accessible.
• 💸 In the United States, membership fees paid by players and their families account for up to 90% or more of club budgets, highlighting the financial strain on families.
• 🚀 FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed shock at the US soccer's pay-to-play system, emphasizing the need for more accessible soccer for all.
• 🌱 The pay-to-play model emerged in the late 20th century as soccer's popularity grew and clubs sought funding, leading to a reliance on fees that has persisted.
• 🏆 The system not only affects individual players but also the entire US soccer landscape by limiting the talent pool and potentially hindering the national team's performance.
• 🌐 The script features insights from Marcus Shirez, a consultant and scout, who discusses the complexity and implications of the pay-to-play system on youth development.
• 🤝 The Open Goal Project, co-founded by Simon Landau, is a nonprofit working to provide free-to-play opportunities for underserved youth, aiming to break down financial barriers in soccer.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The cost of obtaining coaching licenses in the US can be prohibitive, further disadvantaging lower-income individuals who might otherwise contribute to developing soccer talent.
• 📈 There is optimism for the future as the growth of soccer in the US could lead to more people becoming coaches, improving access to quality coaching and development.

Q & A

What is the 'pay-to-play' system in American youth soccer?

The 'pay-to-play' system is a model where families pay for their children to participate in soccer clubs and leagues across the country. These fees cover coaching, facilities, travel, and tournament expenses.

How does the pay-to-play system affect access to soccer for lower-income families?

The pay-to-play system creates significant barriers for lower-income families by requiring substantial fees for participation, thus preventing many talented players from accessing quality coaching and development opportunities.

What is the percentage of club budgets derived from membership fees in European football compared to the United States?

In European football, only 14% of club budgets come from membership fees charged to families, whereas in the United States, membership fees paid by players and their families can rise to a staggering 90% or more.

How does the pay-to-play system impact the talent pool for the US soccer landscape?

By limiting access to high-quality coaching and development opportunities, the pay-to-play system restricts the talent pool, potentially hindering the growth and competitiveness of the US soccer landscape.

What is the role of the Open Goal Project in addressing the pay-to-play system?

The Open Goal Project aims to attack the dangers of the pay-to-play system by creating opportunities for young soccer players from low-income families and underserved communities to access high-level soccer.

What is the significance of solidarity payments in the US soccer ecosystem?

Solidarity payments are made when a player moves from a non-MLS affiliated Academy to an MLS Academy or turns professional. These payments help subsidize the originating club and can be used to support scholarship programs or other developmental initiatives.

How does the pay-to-play system affect the development of young players at crucial ages?

The pay-to-play system can put young players at a significant disadvantage if they cannot afford access to good coaching during their developmental years, which are critical for skill acquisition and growth in soccer.

What is the potential long-term impact of the pay-to-play system on the US national soccer team?

By limiting access to soccer for a large portion of the population, the pay-to-play system may prevent the US national soccer team from reaching its full potential due to a reduced and less diverse talent pool.

How does the pay-to-play system influence the pursuit of college scholarships in soccer?

The system can lead to a focus on expensive showcases and tournaments, which promise exposure to college coaches, potentially excluding players who cannot afford these opportunities and limiting their chances for scholarships.

What are some ways to address the barriers created by the pay-to-play system?

Creating more inclusive and accessible development pathways, such as free-to-play clubs and community-funded initiatives, can help ensure that all talented players have the opportunity to succeed in soccer, regardless of their financial background.

Why is there optimism about the future of soccer in the US despite the pay-to-play system?

Optimism stems from the growth in youth soccer participation, increasing talent levels, the establishment of new professional clubs, and a growing understanding of how to develop players to the highest level, which could eventually lead to a more diverse and skilled player base.

Outlines

00:00

😮 The Pay-to-Play Crisis in American Youth Soccer

The video script begins by highlighting the shocking reality of the pay-to-play system in American youth soccer, which excludes children from participating unless they can afford the fees. It discusses how this system contrasts with other countries where soccer is more accessible and community-funded. The script also points out the systemic issues of greed and corruption that hinder the growth of soccer in the United States, affecting not only individual players but also the national team's potential. The FIFA president's reaction to the pay-to-play system is mentioned, emphasizing the need for change. The video aims to explore this issue with the help of two experts, Marcus Shirez, a youth soccer consultant and scout, and Simon Landau, co-founder of the Open Goal Project, a nonprofit working to provide opportunities for underprivileged youth in soccer.

05:01

💸 The Economic Impact of Pay-to-Play on Players and Families

Paragraph 2 delves into the financial burden that the pay-to-play system places on families, with membership fees often accounting for 90% or more of club budgets in the United States. This is compared to European football, where only 14% of club budgets come from membership fees. The paragraph discusses the barriers created by these costs, such as the inability to access high-quality coaching and development opportunities, which are crucial for talent identification and growth. The script also mentions the efforts of the Open Goal Project to provide free-to-play opportunities and the importance of addressing these economic barriers to ensure a diverse and talented player pool for the future of American soccer.

10:03

🚫 Barriers to Accessible Soccer and the Role of Coaching

Paragraph 3 focuses on the barriers to accessible soccer in the United States, particularly the high costs associated with obtaining coaching licenses and the premium prices for quality coaching. It discusses how these factors disproportionately affect lower-income players and communities. The paragraph also highlights the importance of having a diverse and inclusive coaching pipeline to develop talent effectively. The script introduces initiatives like the District of Columbia football club, a 100% free-to-play travel club, as examples of how to provide equitable opportunities in soccer. It also touches on the advancements in solidarity payments within the US soccer ecosystem as a positive step towards supporting non-MLS affiliated academies.

15:04

🌟 Optimism for a Brighter Future in American Soccer

The final paragraph expresses optimism for the future of American soccer, despite the current challenges posed by the pay-to-play system. It points to the growth in youth soccer participation, the emergence of new professional clubs, and the increasing awareness of the need for change as positive indicators. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of investing in equitable development pathways to unlock the full potential of talented players, regardless of their financial background. It also suggests that as the sport continues to grow in popularity, more people will become involved as coaches and players, leading to a more robust and diverse soccer culture that can support the development of future generations of soccer talent in the United States.

Keywords

💡Pay-to-play system

The pay-to-play system refers to a model in youth soccer where families are required to pay significant fees for their children to participate in soccer clubs and leagues. This system is a central theme in the video as it creates financial barriers for many families, preventing talented players from accessing quality coaching and development opportunities. The video discusses how this system is a significant issue in American soccer, contrasting it with other countries where youth soccer is often community or sponsor-funded.

💡Youth soccer

Youth soccer is the focus of the video, emphasizing the development of young players and the impact of the pay-to-play system on their access to the sport. The video discusses how the pay-to-play model affects the growth and potential of youth soccer in America, suggesting that a more inclusive system would allow for a broader and more talented player base.

💡Access to coaching

Access to quality coaching is highlighted as a critical factor in youth development within soccer. The video points out that in the pay-to-play system, good coaching is often tied to higher costs, which can be a disadvantage for players from lower-income backgrounds. The script mentions that at younger ages, access to good coaching is crucial for development, and the pay-to-play system can limit this access.

💡Talent pool

The term 'talent pool' is used to describe the collection of players available for selection to higher levels of competition, such as national teams. The video argues that the pay-to-play system restricts the talent pool in American soccer by making it harder for talented players from low-income families to participate and develop their skills.

💡Solidarity payments

Solidarity payments are funds that are distributed when a player transfers from one club to another, particularly when moving to a higher level like from a non-MLS to an MLS Academy. The video suggests that these payments can help subsidize clubs and potentially provide scholarships, thus mitigating some of the financial burdens of the pay-to-play system.

💡Inclusive development pathways

Inclusive development pathways refer to the various routes and opportunities available for young soccer players to progress in the sport, regardless of their financial situation. The video advocates for creating more of these pathways to ensure that all talented players have a chance to succeed, which would lead to a stronger national team and a more vibrant soccer culture in the US.

💡Barriers to entry

Barriers to entry in the context of the video are the financial and systemic obstacles that prevent certain players, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds, from participating in soccer. The pay-to-play system is identified as a significant barrier, as it requires families to pay for their children to play, thus excluding those who cannot afford the fees.

💡Community funding

Community funding is mentioned as a model where local communities, sponsors, or clubs themselves fund youth soccer, ensuring that all players have access to coaching and facilities. This is contrasted with the pay-to-play system, and the video suggests that such a model could be more equitable and inclusive.

💡Coaching licenses

Coaching licenses are certifications that coaches obtain to instruct soccer at various levels. The video points out that the cost of obtaining these licenses can be prohibitive, particularly for individuals from lower-income backgrounds, thus limiting the pool of qualified coaches available to less affluent communities.

💡Open Goal Project

The Open Goal Project is a nonprofit organization featured in the video that aims to address the pay-to-play issue by providing free-to-play opportunities for youth from low-income families and underserved communities. It is an example of an initiative that directly tackles the barriers discussed in the video by offering an alternative model of soccer development.

💡National team potential

The video discusses how the pay-to-play system may hinder the potential of the US national soccer team by limiting the talent pool from which it can draw. It suggests that a more inclusive approach to youth soccer development could lead to a more competitive national team, better reflecting the diverse and large population of the United States.

Highlights

The pay-to-play system in American youth soccer is criticized for being a barrier to access for many children.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed shock at the pay-to-play system in the United States.

The pay-to-play model is contrasted with European football, where only 14% of club budgets come from membership fees.

In the United States, membership fees paid by players and their families can account for up to 90% or more of club budgets.

The pay-to-play system is rooted in the late 20th century as soccer's popularity grew and clubs sought funding.

Youth Soccer in countries like England, Germany, and Brazil is often funded by local communities or the clubs themselves.

Marcus Shirez, a consultant and scout, discusses the complexity of the youth development pipeline in the United States.

The cost of club fees, travel, and equipment can be staggering for families, with some spending thousands of dollars annually.

Simon Landout, co-founder of the open goal project, talks about creating opportunities for low-income families to access high-level soccer.

The pay-to-play model limits the talent pool for US soccer by restricting access to quality coaching and development.

The cost of obtaining coaching licenses in the US poses a barrier to individuals from lower-income backgrounds.

Programs like the open goal project are providing free-to-play opportunities for youth in underserved communities.

Solidarity payments within the US soccer ecosystem have been identified as a tangible advancement in addressing pay-to-play.

There is optimism for the future as the sport grows, with more people falling in love with soccer and potentially becoming better coaches.

The growth of professional clubs and increased popularity of soccer in the US is seen as a positive sign for the future of the sport.

The open goal project's DCFC is a 100% free-to-play travel club, providing a high-level soccer experience at no cost.

Transcripts

one of the things which shocked me here

in in in America is that children have

to pay play in order to play the payto

playay system pay to play pay to play

this pay to playay system it's a

Suburban sport this wide picked fence

it's a sports of sometimes the sports of

privilege it's got to become more

accessible to more people earlier this

year FIFA president and Broken Clock

Giani Infantino was shocked by how the

United States handled you soccer

specifically our pay-to-play system now

at this point you probably know we're

not looking to solve pay to-play in the

United States anymore there are tens of

thousands of clubs and hundreds of

associations across the country so

really we're in a race to make

improvements to the system and

institutions themselves rather than wage

a multi-front war against the way that

US soccer is built what I didn't realize

was that payto playay is a problem for

recent Generations in a way that it

wasn't for previous ones further back

and while this story is about youth

soccer in America it inevitably touches

the very foundations of our society

greed corruption and an endless pursuit

of profit that stops our national team

from reaching its full potential but

also does something far more nefarious

it denies our children access to a sport

that should be for everyone look at this

study from the Youth Development Across

European football only 14% of Club

budgets come from membership fees

charged to families of the children

playing in those clubs the rest comes

from the funding from the Club

solidarity payments from transfer fees

of previously trained professionals

sponsorships and Municipal and

government support in the United States

however the figure for membership fees

paid by players and their families Rises

to a staggering 90% or more today I want

to discuss this topic in a way that

hasn't been covered before with help

from two experts on the problem itself

and the impact to our communities and

professional environments so first let's

define the problem what exactly is the

pay to play System simply put it's a

model where families pay for their

children to participate in the soccer

clubs andies across the country these

fees cover coaching facilities travel

and tournament expenses while the system

helps fund soccer programs it also

creates significant barriers for many

families to understand the roots of pay

to-play we need to look back at the late

20th century as soccer's popularity grew

in the US clubs needed more funding for

operations and infrastructure charging

fees became the go-to solution ution but

this model is quite different from how

Youth Soccer Works in many other

countries in countries like England

Germany and Brazil Youth Soccer is often

funded by the local communities sponsors

or the clubs themselves this ensures

that all talented players regardless of

their financial situation or family

situation have access to high quality

coaching and Facilities Marcus shirez is

a consultant and Scout of high level

youth players in the US he's also the

founder of the US soccer Collective

which covers deeply the top levels of

Youth development in the United States I

am guess I classify myself as an

independent soccer consultant and Scout

primarily focus on the youth game I am

very much concerned with and informed on

the youth development pipeline in the

United States it's very complicated uh

and that complication is probably the

biggest reason why I have um demand in

what I do in the US Youth Soccer has

grown immensely with over 3 million

registered players but the cost can be

staggering families might spend

thousands of dollars each year on club

fees travel and equipment that is really

the fundamental problem with pay to

playay I think and at the root of that I

think is access to good coaching what

happens is at you know younger ages 8 9

10 11 12 really important you know

developmental times in kids and kids

lives it can be really difficult to get

good coaching depending on where you

live and so if the only good coaching in

your area is pay to play and you don't

have the resources to do that it puts

you at a huge disadvantage I want to

talk a little bit about how these costs

impact families and players Simon

landout is the co-founder of the open

goal project a nonprofit aimed at

attacking the dangers of the pay-to-play

system by creating opportunities for

young soccer players from lowincome

families and underserved communities to

access highle soccer in Washington DC oh

and he's also my cousin really what

we're focused on doing is attacking and

addressing payto play uh and the issue

of pay tol and how

exclusive it is and how it inherently um

prevents kids from our community

predominantly black and brown kids and

and immigrant kids from accessing highle

opportunities to grow through this sport

his co-founder Amir Lowry is a former

MLS Pro we've started to see over the

years a variety of different barriers

that are baked into the system that span

from you know absurd costs to locations

of programs uh to a number of other

obstacles um and we're focused on

providing opportunities that circumvent

that system specifically with our 100%

free-to-play travel Club dcsc the pay

to-play model doesn't just affect

individual players it impacts the entire

US soccer land ape by limiting access to

high quality coaching and development

opportunities we're also restricting our

talent pool I think we're just limiting

our pool you know we've got we live in

this huge country sports team sports are

incredibly uh valued and prioritized and

funded I think we're just limiting the

amount

of talent that could impact the sport in

a big Way by not having more high

quality

free Grassroots programs throughout the

country I don't want to take away from

what some of these payto

playmy you know have done like a lot of

our you know a lot of our top players

started there I'm probably the majority

of our top players started there so um

there they are you know

upleveling

the training that they are getting

better and better there's more pressure

there's more competition so they're

forced to get better and better there's

more options for kids so you have to

really raise your coaching level and and

what you offer to these kids to stay

relevant and get the best players in

terms of like quality they are they are

trying to raise the bar of quality at

these younger ages and I you know that

is important and having an impact and

you you can't look at our senior team

and not see pay to play in their

background I'm sure get the full

uh potential of this like immensely

diverse and massive country there needs

to be both there needs to be you know

options uh for people who can't afford

it off the back of that you have college

ID camps or college ID weekends right or

college

showcases again the the promise of being

seen by a coach from one of the hundred

colleges that are going to be here

you've got to pay pay x amount of

dollars to be in this opportunity right

so kind of as you go up the

ladder with the promise I mean out

outside of just the very small pool who

will be you know make it pro there is

this larger pool that is selling the

concept of college scholarship

opportunities that's selling the concept

of you know you have to play in this

league to be seen by this person

uh selling the concept of if you're not

at the tournament for Nationals in

Florida or you know Texas or California

then you're missing out on this

opportunity to be seen so um at each

level and as you kind of scale up the

rung um to the more Elite leagues to the

MLS next to the ecnl on the girl side um

you have uh inherently more cost you

have have inherently a more exclusive

system which um you know is

is strong play but pooling from an

already Slimmer pie right a pie and a

population that can afford it P in a

population that has Transportation

abilities or has the ability to take off

work for a week to go and compete in

those tournaments without a diverse and

inclusive pipeline of development the US

misses out on a wealth of of talent that

could Elevate our national teams I don't

think this is even an argument I think

if you talk to anybody in any industry

to effectively pull the most talented

individuals in anything whether it's in

math or in science or in soccer right

the more individuals there are and the

larger the population you can pull from

the higher likelihood you're going to

get the cream of the crop right that's

just a fact I think that that's the key

piece here

is um you know not every player in our

community is going to be the top

player but there are definitely players

within the community now and in the

future who can compete at the highest

levels and we've seen it directly 13 of

our kids at this point since 2015 have

gone on to play in some form or fashion

in in college um and I think these are

kids who without our program would have

never had access to the opportunity to

even develop to be spotted by a

potential coach and so it's directly

correlated this kind of Pathway to

playing and competing at a higher level

if you're cutting off a

population at the earliest age this is

our belief is there's a trickle up

whether it's collegiately and ultimately

professionally or national team wise um

that the more players were able to

provide accessibility and inclusion to

for the game you know yeah they'll be

kids who who Bubble Up and reach those

levels access to qualifying coaches is

another critical Factor because in the

US the best coaching often comes with a

higher price tag further disadvantaging

lower income players the cost of

obtaining coaching license in the US

also poses a barrier High fees for

coaching courses make it difficult for

individuals from those lower income

backgrounds to become certified coaches

I personally saw this in my own

experience because I have a US soccer D

license if I wanted to go and get my C

or B license it would cost thousands of

dollars for the class and then for

travel and accommodations not to mention

the ability for me to take time off of

my day job or leave my family in England

though I was there for 2 years and I was

able to earn an fa level two which is

UFC license for about $250 total yeah

coaching's its own Beast so um

thankfully my co-founder and our

executive director Amir Lowry he played

professionally he has a uh a license

coaching wise and he directs our club so

we've really put a focus on building

within our ecosystem of our club

building from within the community and

trying

to uh

Empower our community and our our

coaches and our program alumni to have

access and opportunity within the

coaching license space so we have um you

know over the past several years hired

dozens of of program graduates currently

on our staff we have about a dozen who

have come through our program who know

what the kids are experiencing in our

program who have gone to the same

schools speak the same language that the

kids can really really relate to if you

have not been in a competitive well-

coached environment from ages 90 to 13

you are at a huge deficit and so I think

that is fundamentally the problem with

payto playay in the United States is

that it's just giving kids such a a big

Advantage at those earlier

ages um because coach good coaching good

development is hard to find so uh it

comes out of Premium so what can we do

to address these barriers well programs

like open goal project are leading the

Way by providing free-to-play

opportunities for youth in underserved

communities So within open goal project

uh our core program is dcfc which is

District of Columbia football club it's

100% free-to-play travel Club um in our

community and so this is not a

recreational program this is a program a

travel club like any other fee based

club that would cost 3,000 to 5,000 to

$10,000 a year um we compete against

teams from the the area inal leagues

like EDP informal you know travel

tournaments we think that this model

covering the costs inhouse and having

our own ecosystem to build with all

these other unique elements is really

crucial to our kids thriving and having

a unique holistic experience that allows

them to go as far as they can with the

game and in life there's also been

advancements in solidarity payments with

the US soccer use system this actually

seems like the largest tangible advanced

we've made as a full ecosystem in the

last decade if you are at a non-mls

Affiliated

Academy at any point move to an MLs

Academy or or even make a jump from that

Academy to professional in MLS there are

solidarity payments that go to that

non-affiliated club uh so that's

definitely in place and yes that then

helps subsidize I don't know you know

how the money is then used at that

non-affiliated MLS Academy to help

subsidize families um the majority of

those non-mls are pay to play but I

would imagine that those solidarity

payments help to cover a lot of things

and and I'm sure one of them is to have

you know a scholarship like program the

current landscape may seem Bleak but

there's a lot of room for optimism I

think the reason to be optimistic is

that uh you see grow growth you see

growth in in coverage um in Youth

Soccer uh you see growth in Talent

levels uh at these younger ages I think

there's really exciting players coming

through at the younger age groups um

you're seeing growth in professional

clubs starting throughout the country uh

I still think it's you know a bit

fractured and segmented but I I just

don't think you can argue with the

growth of the sport and the growth in

popularity and then hopefully the growth

in kind of understanding of of how you

get to the highest level um and I think

generationally as the sport grows you

start to solve some of those coaching

issues we talked about the more people

you see fall in love with the game uh

the more you see people play the game at

different levels they're going to get

back to it in the future and be good

coaches uh so I just think it may be a

while but I I I think the growth is

going to pay off um in you know in the

next few Generations where there's just

more people who love and understand the

sport and therefore can give better

education pass that love on to more

people uh whether that be you know their

sons or daughters um or what have you so

I think I think the growth is inevitable

and I think that in itself is a reason

to be really optimistic I'd also say I'm

optimistic cuz I've seen the growth in

the kids that we have right like you you

you see them over the course of a year

you know kids who haven't had access to

this really kind of proving our Theory

right right proving the theory that with

the proper coaching with the proper

attention with the proper investment

that that these kids can take Natural

talent and and continue to progress and

continue to improve and it's exciting

specifically on the younger groups to

see our clubs and our teams that just

started over the past couple of years

begin to compete with these teams beat

these teams in some cases win local

tournaments um because it just shows

that that with investment with equity in

this space as we strive for it that the

talent is there and that the kids

deserve it and in the long term the more

we focus on it and the more attentions

paid to it and the more investment

provided to it the more impact we'll

have and the closer we'll get to to real

change here the pay-to-play system in

American use soccer creates significant

barriers that limit access for lower

income families and prevent many

talented players from reaching their

full potential by addressing some of

these barriers and creating more

inclusive and accessible development

Pathways we can help ensure that all

talented players have the opportunity to

succeed in soccer regardless of their

financial background this will lead to a

stronger more competitive national team

and a brighter future for soccer in the

US thanks so much for watching and

thanks to Marcus and Simon for

contributing if you do want to support

the open goal project I'll have their

website in the pinned comment and if you

want to follow Marcus just search for

the US soccer Collective I'll see you

next time peace