Hockey…why are you so expensive?

[TacoBellParkingLot]

I understand that new technologies cost money. But shouldn’t it be helping making our sport more easier, not harder to afford? Seeing some of the league fees blows my mind too along with camps and stuff. I mean at some of theses prices, I’d expect to be NHL caliber!

[GoalieInTheDesertYT]

I completely agree.

[coopaloop1234]

I guess it depends on the level but just looking up season fees for U16 here is under $1k. This is for house league, so no tryouts or real travel. 

20 years ago when I was 14, the league fees were in the $600 range for the same level. Compare that to beer leagues here and it's about the same cost with even less ice times. 

It's not cheap, but hockey never really has been. 

 

[TacoBellParkingLot]

True but it at least remained somewhat affordable now things have become crazy!

Edited January 5, 2023 by TacoBellParkingLot

[Puckstopper]

Ice is expensive to make and maintain.   Ergo fewer rinks than needed in a lot of areas, and higher costs per hour of ice.   On top of that, hockey is a niche activity, so everything for it is produced in smaller quantities than for other sports.    Therefore everything from boards, to ice maintenance equipment to skate sharpeners, to the gear itself (and the dozens or hundreds of items I overlooked) are all more expensive to make.   Not only are these things pricier to make, they cost more because Bauer will sell way fewer pairs of skates than Nike will sell football cleats in any given year, so they have to have a higher profit margin on a per item basis than other sports.    Want hockey to cost less?  Get more people involved.   Which isn't easy because hockey costs so much, so I get that its a vicious circle.  So, at the end of the day, if you want a cheaper hobby, try soccer or ultimate frisbee 'cause hockey probably won't ever get "cheap".   

Edited January 6, 2023 by Puckstopper

[TacoBellParkingLot]

Getting people involved will stay a problem if the prices keep going to obscure amounts.

[itis121]

On 1/5/2023 at 1:14 PM, coopaloop1234 said:

I guess it depends on the level but just looking up season fees for U16 here is under $1k. This is for house league, so no tryouts or real travel. 

20 years ago when I was 14, the league fees were in the $600 range for the same level. Compare that to beer leagues here and it's about the same cost with even less ice times. 

It's not cheap, but hockey never really has been. 

 

You can be like my dad. Managed to dodge my brothers house league fees due to lack of goalies. Idk if he payed for the season for him.

As for minor hockey the price has gone up from when I was playing, but registration has also gone down significantly. When I was in bantam there was 13 teams in house league with around 16 goalies. 14 years later same age group has 4 teams with 4 goalies.

[Puckstopper]

16 hours ago, TacoBellParkingLot said:

Getting people involved will stay a problem if the prices keep going to obscure amounts.

Like I said earlier, there are other hobbies that cost less if this one doesn't work for you.  Not trying to be insensative, but I'm not sure what you expect people who play the most expensive position in the game to do for you here...

 

TBH, it kind of seems like you created an account just to bitch about stuff, between your interesting thread in the Reviews section and this one.    

[coopaloop1234]

13 hours ago, Puckstopper said:

 

TBH, it kind of seems like you created an account just to bitch about stuff, between your interesting thread in the Reviews section and this one.    

What else is the internet for? 

[TacoBellParkingLot]

Yup…

[MTH]

I paid $6500 for my one son's AAA 16u team. That covered three practices a week through the season. Also 2 nights in the gym with trainers and a dedicated locker room for just his team for the season. Fee also covered two showcases and summer ice times. Travel costs (few weekends in hotels, etc) were extra ($1000?).

My younger son was $4500 for 14u A. Included 2 practices a week from September through February. Fee covered both their league games and the fee to enter a second league (20 more games). Tournaments were extra (Silver Sticks). I think I paid $200 more for that. We also paid extra for pins, summer ice, and some other things. Maybe another $200. So for him, it was about $5000 for the season. Travel costs extra again ($1000)

Tryouts are about $200 per kid per program. Both my boys tried out at two different places this past spring ($800). Tryout fees are a scam!

They both usually do a few spring camps. Season ends in February and tryouts are in April - so you get fleeced to keep your kids playing until tryouts. Another $1000.

High School hockey here is club. So $1000 per kid. ($2000)

My out of pocket for a year of hockey for two kids is about:

$6500+$1000+$4500+$500+$1000+$800+$1000+$2000=$17,300 or $8650 per kid.

 

[coopaloop1234]

5 minutes ago, MTH said:

I paid $6500 for my one son's AAA 16u team. That covered three practices a week through the season. Also 2 nights in the gym with trainers and a dedicated locker room for just his team for the season. Fee also covered two showcases and summer ice times. Travel costs (few weekends in hotels, etc) were extra ($1000?).

My younger son was $4500 for 14u A. Included 2 practices a week from September through February. Fee covered both their league games and the fee to enter a second league (20 more games). Tournaments were extra (Silver Sticks). I think I paid $200 more for that. We also paid extra for pins, summer ice, and some other things. Maybe another $200. So for him, it was about $5000 for the season. Travel costs extra again ($1000)

Tryouts are about $200 per kid per program. Both my boys tried out at two different places this past spring ($800). Tryout fees are a scam!

They both usually do a few spring camps. Season ends in February and tryouts are in April - so you get fleeced to keep your kids playing until tryouts. Another $1000.

High School hockey here is club. So $1000 per kid. ($2000)

My out of pocket for a year of hockey for two kids is about:

$6500+$1000+$4500+$500+$1000+$800+$1000+$2000=$17,300 or $8650 per kid.

 

That's absurd. 

I think it's time to pick a favourite and move on. 

[ThatCarGuy]

12 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

That's absurd. 

I think it's time to pick a favourite and move on. 

Texas is even worse…. Glad I got a discount since I came mid season 

[coopaloop1234]

32 minutes ago, ThatCarGuy said:

Texas is even worse…. Glad I got a discount since I came mid season 

That's why house league is better. 

Cheaper hockey and zero expectations. 

[TacoBellParkingLot]

^VERY correct!

[MTH]

23 hours ago, coopaloop1234 said:

That's why house league is better. 

Cheaper hockey and zero expectations. 

To a degree. In the Philly area house league kinda drops off at Pee Wee (12u). From there you have to either find a club team or just play in school. It's hard to make school teams if you don't play club team hockey.

Most kids that played just house league around here stop playing at 12. Which stinks. There are kids that come out for the school teams that haven't really played club and they have a tough time getting shifts in JV games. 

For my 16 year old - It was either $6500 for Tier 1 or $4500 for Tier 2. The Tier 2 team then charged additional for summer ice slots and gym time. As a parent, you get kinda painted in a corner at times if your kid wants to play.

Hockey ain't cheap. Most people at the rinks don't look like they have a hard time paying for it. Parking lots look like a new suv dealer lot.

[coopaloop1234]

4 minutes ago, MTH said:

To a degree. In the Philly area house league kinda drops off at Pee Wee (12u). From there you have to either find a club team or just play in school. It's hard to make school teams if you don't play club team hockey.

Most kids that played just house league around here stop playing at 12. Which stinks. There are kids that come out for the school teams that haven't really played club and they have a tough time getting shifts in JV games. 

For my 16 year old - It was either $6500 for Tier 1 or $4500 for Tier 2. The Tier 2 team then charged additional for summer ice slots and gym time. As a parent, you get kinda painted in a corner at times if your kid wants to play.

Hockey ain't cheap. Most people at the rinks don't look like they have a hard time paying for it. Parking lots look like a new suv dealer lot.

Man, that's very different than here. 

Our minor leagues (even house) go up to Major Midget (U18). 

Kids can keep playing the sport until they're out of highschool and then can graduate to the Big beer leagues 

[MTH]

I think they would offer it if there were enough kids playing. The rinks make more from travel teams, so they treat the house (or limited travel) teams like they're unwanted. Limited practices and god awful ice times.

My local rink is trying to expand their Tier 1 program into the juniors more every year. This year they picked up a NAHL team and put them in the rink. So those kids eat up more ice that was already limited. 

House teams just get further pushed down the line sadly.

Also, here - every sport has expensive travel clubs. So the kids kinda get locked into one sport more than the others. So the kid that's playing club soccer is playing in tournaments and all almost year round now. Parents can't do it all and other sports get dropped.