The real (optimistic) truth about pay to play soccer in America
Summary
TLDRThe 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
- ๐ฎ 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.
- ๐ 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.
- ๐ธ 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.
- ๐ FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed shock at the US soccer's pay-to-play system, emphasizing the need for more accessible soccer for all.
- ๐ฑ 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.
- ๐ 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.
- ๐ 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.
- ๐ค 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.
- ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ 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.
- ๐ 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
๐ฎ 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.
๐ธ 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.
๐ซ 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.
๐ 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กPay-to-play system
๐กYouth soccer
๐กAccess to coaching
๐กTalent pool
๐กSolidarity payments
๐กInclusive development pathways
๐กBarriers to entry
๐กCommunity funding
๐กCoaching licenses
๐กOpen Goal Project
๐กNational team potential
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
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