How Much Does it Cost to Start a Travel Basketball Team? (Everything you need to know)

The cost to start a travel basketball team is anywhere between $1000 and up. This includes one month of gym rental space, team registration for AAU (which includes player insurance), coach background checks, registration fees for the first tournament and any necessary equipment. This does not include uniforms and all of your registration fees because these expenses can be funded by the parents once the team is selected.

Keep in mind there are a wide variety of variables and the cost truly depends on what type of travel team you are trying to start. If you are trying to start a basic travel team and need to keep the costs down I am here to tell you it is possible and all of the expenses can be shared amongst the parents of the players on your team. In this article, I am going to focus on the essentials with a few extras to give you an idea how much it costs to start your very own travel basketball team.

Practice Facility Rental:

One of your costs will be gym space. You will need this to hold tryouts and select the players for your team. You will also need gym space for weekly practices. Gym space is typically reserved throughout the year and paid for on a monthly basis. Depending on the demand you may need to reserve for the entire season. 

Once you find a location they will likely want you to pay for one month in advance and reserve it for the entire season.  Which means you may need to cover that cost before you collect funds from the parents of your players. 

Gym rental costs can be anywhere from $25 to $150 per hour. In one situation, I paid $70 per three hours but split the gym with another team. My practices were two times a week (1.5 hours per day) so my cost was only $35 per week. I think a healthy estimate is to expect to pay about $150 per month.

Another option is to seek out gym space at a local church. I found a church that was willing to let us use their gym space one night a week in exchange for a donation.

Team Registration:

There are several organizations around the nation that offer travel basketball tournaments. Each of these charge a nominal fee to register your team and your coaches. AAU is probably the most popular one but it really depends on your location.

For the purposes of this article I will use AAU’s fee schedule. AAU charges by the individual player instead of by the team. AAU has two different fee schedules. Their regular membership fee is $14.00 and their extended membership is $16.00 at the time of publishing this article. I suggest purchasing their extended membership because it covers insurance for each individual player. So your team registration costs will be about $160 (with 10 players).

Some organizations charge per team at the rate of less than $50. But keep in mind they do not include insurance. Instead they will offer insurance to you at approximately $150 on average for team insurance, which covers everyone. 

A good estimate for this expense is $200 and includes the team registration and insurance.  Keep in mind, if you plan to play in tournaments with multiple organizations you will need to pay to register your team with each one. But, you should only be required to purchase insurance once.

Coach Background Checks:

Each coach is required to have a background check completed. The cost can be anywhere from $35 to $50 per coach. I suggest at least two coaches at first. A good estimate for this expense is $70 (covers two coaches). Most organizations allow you to have up to four coaches/team administrators. This will also include mandatory concussion training that all coaches should have.

Helpful Tip: Coaches are not required to pay tournament admissions, which can be up to $50 per weekend. If you have a volunteer give them a coach badge to save money!

Equipment Expenses:

My first travel team I started out with very little equipment. I purchased about five basketballs (make sure you get the correct size for your age group), a set of cones, practice jerseys and a whistle. I kept everything simple for the first year. My expenses for this equipment was about $150. Your equipment start up costs can be significantly more if you need additional items to get your team going. 

Over the years, I added equipment to improve our team practices. Some additional items I suggest are a larger number of basketballs, equipment bag, basketball bag, agility ladders, shooting dummies, training bands, weighted basketballs, other training aids and a coaches clipboard.

Uniforms:

I didn’t include uniforms in the estimate above because this can and likely should be an individual parent expense in most cases. However, if you plan to sponsor several players and/or rent uniforms to the players then you should factor in the cost of uniforms. Uniforms are about $100 each. You will likely have a roster of at least 10 players, requiring an initial investment of $1,000.

You will need to design a uniform and give the company time to produce and ship them. There are a bunch of companies online and probably some local ones in your community. I recommend an online company called Hustle Gear. You can design your uniforms online and even create a team shop. This is a great way for your parents to purchase team gear making it easy for you. Click on the link below for a free instant quote.

There are specific rules regarding uniforms that are important to know before you spend any money on them. Please check the rules with AAU or other organizations that are hosting a tournament. This can help save you from wasting money purchasing a uniform item that is unauthorized.  

Tournament Entry Fees:

Your team will need to compete in tournaments. This is the fun part but with the fun stuff comes expenses. Entry fees are anywhere from $150 to $500 and up. My estimate for this expense is about $375 per tournament. You should consider playing at least two tournaments a month or more during the season. 

Travel Expenses:

Ok, this is an unpredictable expense. Your team might be able to minimize travel expenses if you live in a generally large city that hosts basketball tournaments each weekend. If you live in a smaller city you may be forced to drive longer distances and require hotel stays. 

Some expenses in this category include fuel, airfare, rental cars, lodging, food and beverages, laundry and other incidentals.

This was usually the double edged sword for me and the parents of the players. It was fun traveling a couple hours away and enjoying quality time with the team at the hotel pool but it also required funds. If you plan to travel for your tournaments some things you NEED to know are as follows: 

• Some parents will not have the means to travel or will not be able to get away from work on the weekends. This means you will be required to transport them and any others. This includes meals for the players. I was fortunate that most of my parents ensured their child had food money but I have witnessed other coaches foot the bill for players.

• Reserve hotel rooms early. Seek out hotels that offer suites, such as the Embassy Suites or Residence Inn. Make sure they have free breakfast. This will save you time and money.

• Pack a cooler full of water and snacks. Include this in your team budget.

• The time between games can be very inconvenient. Sometimes you might have four hours between a game which isn’t enough time to get back to the hotel. Look for some nearby areas that you can take the team to during their downtime. Good ideas include shopping malls, which gives the parents something to do while the players occupy their time bonding with each other in a different setting.

Budgeting and Financial Planning:

Developing a comprehensive budget is crucial when starting a travel basketball team. Consider creating a detailed spreadsheet or utilizing budgeting tools to estimate expenses and allocate funds accordingly. Additionally, seeking sponsorships, fundraising initiatives, and involving parents or guardians in team finances can help alleviate some of the financial burden.

Conclusion:

Starting a travel basketball team can be a rewarding experience for players, coaches, and even the parents! However, it is important to be aware of the costs involved to ensure proper financial planning and sustainable team operations. The expenses related to starting your own travel basketball team include gym rental, team registration, tournament entry fees, background checks, equipment and travel expenses.  By considering these expenses you can better estimate the budget required to establish and maintain a successful travel basketball team.