In Canada, the Cost of Youth Hockey Benches the Next Generation

Ryan Compton, an economics professor at the University of Manitoba and a hockey dad himself, believes that the reward in Canada for progressing to the next level is greater in hockey than in other sports — a theory he associates with the tournament theory. Developed by the American economists Edward Lazear and Sherwin Rosen, the model stipulates that awards are based on relative rank rather than overall output. The theory predicts that participants — in this case minor hockey players — have a tendency to overspend to outdo their opponents, which might mean paying for hundreds of hours on the ice to practice shooting.

“When you see that your child is playing with a peer group and you don’t hear about all the other things they are doing on the side it’s easy to feel, ‘If I don’t do the same, my child is not going to continue in the next level,’” Compton said.

In response to concerns about cost, some hockey associations have waived registration fees for new players. Hockey Canada and its equipment partner, Bauer, have also added introductory programs where children get equipment at reduced prices or for free. The N.H.L., through its newly expanded Learn To Play program, provides opportunities for kids in cities around the league to experience the sport. Though there is a participation fee of about $170, equipment is provided.

“We make sure that there’s equipment exchange programs available, we’ve gotten N.H.L. clubs involved,” said Rob Knesaurek, a league vice president in charge of developing youth hockey. The league, he said, also subsidizes renting ice time.

“It’s all about capturing that youthful enthusiasm so that we can sustain it for a long time,” said Tom Renney, Hockey Canada’s chief executive and a former Rangers head coach.

Players have stepped up as well, including Crosby, who donated 87 sets of hockey equipment for black, Indigenous and immigrant communities in his native Nova Scotia.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/22/sports/hockey/canada-youth-hockey-cost.html