For some aspiring athletes, club sports fees and related costs can get high enough that they are forced to quit competing altogether. Club sports fees and other costs can make competitive youth sports a privilege of wealth as much as talent.

One such case is that of Brophy junior Neal Mahoney ’28, who quit playing club soccer due in part to the financial commitment associated with the sport. Mahoney says the costs simply got too high for his family to keep up with.

“I just don’t think my family could really support that much of a cost,” Mahoney said.

The fees associated with club soccer can be considerable, often reaching thousands of dollars. Based on his experience, Mahoney estimated that U.S. elite travel soccer club programs cost around $3,000 to $5,000 per year. According to Pitch Dreams, a soccer advocacy nonprofit,  the median annual cost of MLS Next clubs nationwide is $7,650. Currently, Mahoney plays for Phoenix Swim Club, whose membership is priced at $220 per month, he says.

According to Mahoney, the financial aspect was part of why he quit club soccer, but managing more than one sport alongside school was the bigger factor. He decided to stick with swimming and soccer at Brophy and gave up club soccer.

“I think there should be a lot more investment in youth development and focusing on the player rather than the academies who want to get the money,” Mahoney said.

For some athletes, those costs put higher-level competition out of reach. Hugh Healy ’27 claims that the costs of such programs as MLS NEXT may render competitive soccer out of reach for some athletes.

“It feels like it is very pay to win, and if you can’t pay you can’t play because you have to go to work or something like that,” said Healy.