Anonymous
Post 11/13/2017 19:14     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
All of the top kids are sponsored, but it is limited. None of them are using second hand stuff. Most have over $10k invested just on the bike (bike, components, power meter, shoes, helmet, sunglasses, kit). Not to mention, when they crash and you have to replace everything. Nice cycling wear can be over $1500 for one outfit ($200 bib shorts, $250 jersey, $100 base layer, $30 socks, $400 shoes, $400 helmet, $300 glasses, $80 gloves). Their goal is the olympics and/or Tour de France.
Anonymous
Post 11/13/2017 16:44     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:2 kids both do triathlons. $30-$40k per year. Getting more expensive every year due to farther races.


Can you break down the expenses?


This year’s problem is that both kids outgrew their bikes and shoes. They are 15 and 17.

For each kid:

Carbon race tri bike $4000, race road bike $4000, training tri bike $3000, training road bike $3000, shoes (bike and run) $800, trisuits $300, wetsuit $800, sleeveless wetsuit $400, cycling kits $400, helmets$400, flights $4000, bike shipping $800, misc. $2000 (co2, gel, etc), coaching $2400.

I’m probably forgetting a lot, but that’s over $25k. DH and I also do tris and ironmans so it gets quite expensive, but what better way to spend your time and money?



Wow! How often do you need to get new bikes? And is there a tech reason the various suits are so expensive, or are the makers price gouging?


Between DH, 3 boys, and I, we have 20+ bikes. We all have mountain bikes, race bikes training bikes, and misc bmx, fixies, and fat bikes. The boys go up in size with every 2-3 inches in height. The National team’s required uniform was over $2000 this year. They recommendeded a zone3 wetsuit that’s over $1000. We spend much less than the average nationally ranked triathlete, because we have 2.


Wow - are all the competing athletes really wealthy, or are some making do with second-hand stuff or are some sponsored or funded in another way?
Anonymous
Post 11/13/2017 16:33     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
We probably spend about $1000 a year on sports stuff for our boys, who are 11 and 14. Shoes, bikes, skateboards, ropes, balls and what not. Only one plays organized sports and that's rec league baseball, so it's only a couple hundred bucks.

If we had more money, we would probably figure out a way to spend it. "Smoke 'em if you got 'em" and all that.
Anonymous
Post 11/13/2017 16:26     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:2 kids both do triathlons. $30-$40k per year. Getting more expensive every year due to farther races.


Can you break down the expenses?


This year’s problem is that both kids outgrew their bikes and shoes. They are 15 and 17.

For each kid:

Carbon race tri bike $4000, race road bike $4000, training tri bike $3000, training road bike $3000, shoes (bike and run) $800, trisuits $300, wetsuit $800, sleeveless wetsuit $400, cycling kits $400, helmets$400, flights $4000, bike shipping $800, misc. $2000 (co2, gel, etc), coaching $2400.

I’m probably forgetting a lot, but that’s over $25k. DH and I also do tris and ironmans so it gets quite expensive, but what better way to spend your time and money?



Wow! How often do you need to get new bikes? And is there a tech reason the various suits are so expensive, or are the makers price gouging?


Between DH, 3 boys, and I, we have 20+ bikes. We all have mountain bikes, race bikes training bikes, and misc bmx, fixies, and fat bikes. The boys go up in size with every 2-3 inches in height. The National team’s required uniform was over $2000 this year. They recommendeded a zone3 wetsuit that’s over $1000. We spend much less than the average nationally ranked triathlete, because we have 2.
Anonymous
Post 11/13/2017 12:12     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:2 kids both do triathlons. $30-$40k per year. Getting more expensive every year due to farther races.


Can you break down the expenses?


This year’s problem is that both kids outgrew their bikes and shoes. They are 15 and 17.

For each kid:

Carbon race tri bike $4000, race road bike $4000, training tri bike $3000, training road bike $3000, shoes (bike and run) $800, trisuits $300, wetsuit $800, sleeveless wetsuit $400, cycling kits $400, helmets$400, flights $4000, bike shipping $800, misc. $2000 (co2, gel, etc), coaching $2400.

I’m probably forgetting a lot, but that’s over $25k. DH and I also do tris and ironmans so it gets quite expensive, but what better way to spend your time and money?



Wow! How often do you need to get new bikes? And is there a tech reason the various suits are so expensive, or are the makers price gouging?
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 19:56     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:2 kids both do triathlons. $30-$40k per year. Getting more expensive every year due to farther races.


Can you break down the expenses?


This year’s problem is that both kids outgrew their bikes and shoes. They are 15 and 17.

For each kid:

Carbon race tri bike $4000, race road bike $4000, training tri bike $3000, training road bike $3000, shoes (bike and run) $800, trisuits $300, wetsuit $800, sleeveless wetsuit $400, cycling kits $400, helmets$400, flights $4000, bike shipping $800, misc. $2000 (co2, gel, etc), coaching $2400.

I’m probably forgetting a lot, but that’s over $25k. DH and I also do tris and ironmans so it gets quite expensive, but what better way to spend your time and money?



Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 19:31     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
$425/month for gymnastics, plus $2k for comp fees/year.
Travel costs about 2-4k/year, depending on how many competitions require flying.
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 19:09     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:People who speak English write “racquet”.

It’s only the people who speak the variation called American English who write “racket”. Plus the others who don’t know how to spell, I suppose.


+1 I never played tennis in my life. But my two kids take lessons at the Fairfax Racquet Club. I never thought it was spelled any other way!
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 16:51     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am, however, informed enough to know the correct spelling of racket.

We are talking about kids, not USTA competitive adult matches. Kids don't need their rackets restrung every 8 to 10 hours of playing time.

OP says they spend $150 a week, not month.

I still stand by one to two pairs a year is plenty! Back in my day...


my son is playing competitive junior USTA tennis and I can tell you it is not cheap:

1- 90 minutes private lesson a week for $150, $600/month
2- tennis clinics three times a week for $240, $720/month
3- tennis tournament fee twice a month, about $250/month, NOT including airfare, hotel, transporation and food. This can add up
4- tennis membership and indoor court cost when during cold season, about $400/month
5- tennis rackets (Europeans call them racquets), he needs four of them. One time cost $250 per rackets = $1000
6- tennis strings cost $40 per racket. He breaks string every 9 hours. He practices between 10 and 12 hours a week and more if he also plays tournament that week, average about $160/month
7- He has a stringing machine so restring labor cost is $0
8- tennis shoes costs $80/pair on sale. He wears out a pair of shoes every month

I am paying about $2200/month and I only have 1 kid. The cost goes up even higher when he plays tournament in places like California, Florida and Arizona. May be you should read this: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-08-28/costs-of-noah-rubin-becoming-the-world-s-631st-best-tennis-player



A few questions I'd love to ask this PP, and the OP (and anyone else spending this type of money on tennis):

1. What is your end goal? Pro player? College scholarship? Solid background for something like physio or sports science/medicine?
2. Who is the biggest driver of this ambition - the parents or the child?
3. What age did you start any training and/or this level of training?
4. Have there been other benefits you've seen in your child besides developing the tennis skills?
5. Would you still do this if you weren't wealthy and it was a financial stretch for you?
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 11:01     Subject: Re:how much do you spend each month on sports?
Last year it came to just under 9k for three kids who play sports year round. I don’t include CC dues, though it’s part of playing golf, into that number.
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 09:28     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:2 kids both do triathlons. $30-$40k per year. Getting more expensive every year due to farther races.


Can you break down the expenses?
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 08:36     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
2 kids both do triathlons. $30-$40k per year. Getting more expensive every year due to farther races.
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 08:07     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
People who speak English write “racquet”.

It’s only the people who speak the variation called American English who write “racket”. Plus the others who don’t know how to spell, I suppose.
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 07:53     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: The cost that seems the most outrageous to me is $150/week tennis equipment. I really don't see why you would need to spend that much. You don't need more than one, maybe two pairs of shoes a year. Same with the rackets. How often do you get them restrung?

If you are spending all this money on tennis, you should really know the correct spelling for racket.


Maybe you don't play competitive USTA tennis so you are not well informed.

The labor cost for restringing is only $12, some places only charge $10. The string itself is very expensive. Natural gut string is $40 ft. Luxilon string is $15 for 40ft. If you go hybrid, it costs $27.50 per racquet. Good tennis shoes costs at least $75.

competitive tennis players will break string after 8-10 hours of playing time, 8 hours if you use natural gut string, and the shoes wears out very quickly. I am actually suprised that it only costs the OP $150/month.

Tennis is not a cheap sport to begin with.


I am, however, informed enough to know the correct spelling of racket.

We are talking about kids, not USTA competitive adult matches. Kids don't need their rackets restrung every 8 to 10 hours of playing time.

OP says they spend $150 a week, not month.

I still stand by one to two pairs a year is plenty! Back in my day...


Maybe you should get out more often to see competitive junior USTA matches. They hit the ball so hard with topspin that the string will not last beyond 10 hours. They also run and make lot of sharp cut on the court that the shoe will last about a month

I am an adult and I play tennis three times a week, used to play college D-II tennis, and I change shoes every 2 1/2 months.
Anonymous
Post 11/12/2017 06:16     Subject: how much do you spend each month on sports?
Travel sooner $3100 a year flat fee plus about $500 over the summer for a week of camp

Travel baseball $850 fall, $850 spring plus $60 batting lessons each week, about 30 a year = $3500