This Week’s Playbook. This week's theme: money. Not just how much you charge, but how families experience what you charge. The surprise fee at checkout. The uncertainty that keeps parents up at night. The difference between a discount strategy and a leadership decision. Costs are rising fast in youth sports, and families are feeling it. But here's the thing: most of the anxiety isn't about price. It's about unpredictability, hidden fees, and whether your program feels like it's designed for people like them. This issue is packed with practical ways to reduce financial friction without lowering your rates. Here's what's inside:

“You can have the best curriculum in the world. The most committed staff. The most passionate athletes. But if the sideline feels chaotic, negative, or unpredictable… Families won’t trust the environment. And trust is the currency of retention.”

— Chad Henry, Signature Locker | Read more →

Registration opens. A parent clicks through, enters their kid's info, and hits checkout. Suddenly there's a processing fee they didn't expect. The uniform is separate. Tournament costs are vague. The total is $127 more than the number on your website. Some families pay and quietly resent it. Some abandon the form and never come back. Some finish but withdraw mid-season when the next surprise hits. This isn't about whether your prices are fair. It's about whether families saw them coming. Surprise fees are the number one reason people abandon online checkouts. Youth sports registration is no different. The fix isn't lowering your prices. It's showing families the full picture before they commit. Publish the real number or watch them walk.

— Chad Henry

Or add some other ops tools to your toolbox:

The average sports family spent $1,016 per child in 2024. That's up 46% since 2019. More than half of parents now worry they won't be able to afford next season. Three out of four have considered pulling their kid out entirely. This isn't a problem you can coupon your way out of. Discounts are reactive. They benefit families who know to ask. They don't answer the question every parent is really asking: is this program for people like us? Affordability as a leadership decision is different. It's designed up front, transparent, and dignified. All-in pricing. Sliding scale assistance. Payment plans as default. Language that removes stigma. You're not just setting a price. You're deciding who belongs.

— Maddie Soviero

Or check out more ideas for staffing and coaches:

Here's something that doesn't show up in your registration data: a parent staring at your checkout screen at 10 PM, trying to figure out if they can actually afford this. Not whether the number is too high. Whether there's more coming. Whether the uniform is included. Whether "tournament fees" means $50 or $500. Financial anxiety isn't just about price. It's about uncertainty, surprise, and stigma. A $400 season that feels predictable lands differently than a $350 season full of hidden fees and awkward asks. You can't control what families can afford. But you can control whether your program feels knowable, manageable, and safe. Cost snapshots. Payment plans as default. Assistance that doesn't feel like begging. Make the season feel survivable and they'll come back for another one.

— Ricky Reyes

Or check out more ideas for staffing and coaches:

Have a great sports week,

Chad Henry and the Signature Locker Team

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