{
  "id": 16322343,
  "title": "The unexpected costs of my 11-year-old's baseball season caught me off guard. Receipts show that we spent around $8,800.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/the-unexpected-costs-of-my-11-year-olds-baseball-season-caught-me-off",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-24T12:05:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/real-cost-select-sports-baseball-season-family-budget-2026-10"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "My son's select baseball season unexpectedly cost our family over $8,800. At first, the increased practice times and doubled costs seemed reasonable, but I was blindsided by the additional expenses. Concessions alone totaled $2,000, with a hot dog and drink costing $40 per game for our family of seven. Driving to practices and tournaments consumed at least $700 in gas, with longer trips adding more miles. Gear purchases reached around $1,250, including new baseball equipment and team merchandise. Private lessons for catching and hitting were $300 per month for six months. Babysitters were needed for $600, and parents also invested $400 in parent gear. Hotel stays for long-distance trips added another $1,200. Registration fees amounted to $900 per season. While the total may seem daunting, the joy and growth my son experienced far outweighed the financial burden.",
  "summary": "I used to judge select sports parents. Now I'm one of them, spending more than $8,800 on my son's last baseball season.",
  "key_points": [
    "Baseball season unexpectedly cost $8,800, surprising the family",
    "Concessions alone totaled $2,000, with $40 hot dog and drink per game",
    "Gear purchases reached $1,250 for new equipment and team merchandise"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}