New Youth Sports Complexes Are Ready to Entertain Adults

"Practice is no longer a drop-off, but a lifestyle that goes well beyond the sport and a unique experience that parents can enjoy as well."

Parents spend a lot of time being involved with their kids’ sports teams, and that’s probably not changing anytime soon. Maybe that’s why new sports complexes are catering to them.

Whether it’s pre-packing snacks, driving kids to and from practice or sticking around the game to shoot a highlight video, there’s no denying that parents spend a lot of time being involved with their kids’ sports commitments.

And while parents may love watching their kids compete, many are probably not too thrilled about huddling into bleacher seats and getting dinner from a concession stand.

That’s why new, parent-friendly youth-sports complexes are popping up with the hopes of making some money off the adult crowd. According to the Kansas City Star, an “Olathe-based sports development and management company wants parents to stay and have a beer, get their nails done or catch up on email at a workstation.”

Often, parents will just drop off their kids at practice or the game, but new facilities hope to have them stick around and unwind while spending their hard-earned cash. These new facilities come fully stocked with lounges, arcade rooms, concessions, classrooms, business centers, nail salons, full-service bars and more.

A youth sports complex in Wisconsin is even planning monthly beer garden parties. Elite Sports CEO Jason Bryson adds, "Practice is no longer a drop-off, but a lifestyle that goes well beyond the sport, and a unique experience that parents can enjoy as well."

Last year, Time reported that youth sports have turned into a $15 billion industry. While it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that parents want to do what’s best for their kids, it can be easy to forget that youth sports are really about the entire family. When a teen joins a travel team or simply has to play somewhere away from home, it can affect the whole household. This is especially true for parents who may have to drive 30–45 minutes each way to drop off kids for a game or practice that may take 1.5–2 hours.

If they have work to do, parents sometimes don’t have any options besides sitting in the bleachers or staying in the car. That’s why, when teams and coaches keep the whole family in mind, like when they help them curb the costs of playing youth sports, it’s a win-win situation that keeps parents engaged and kids more likely to play for a longer time.

So, yes, the kids always come first. But don’t forget the parents, either.