Ohio AAU Parents Pay $260 to Watch 2 'Separate' Tournaments at One Complex

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 16

$260 in admission plus parking left one Ohio family stunned after organizers charged for two "separate" AAU events held at Spooky Nook in Hamilton.
Kevin Brandt said he and his wife paid $120 for each event and $5 a day for parking, even though both tournaments were run by the same organizer at the same venue.
Hotel prices above $300 pushed the family to drive 2.5 hours back and forth on some days, underscoring how tournament costs extend well beyond entry fees.
$90 weekend passes elsewhere still add up fast: one South Carolina travel-ball parent said a recent AAU trip cost nearly $1,500 including lodging, gas and food.
The episode adds to broader concerns that travel basketball's growth is making elite youth sports increasingly unaffordable for families determined to keep their children competing.