Why Travel Baseball Is Bad: Wrong Way vs. Right Way
If you’re researching why travel baseball is bad, it’s most likely you have heard horror stories from parents who have been on a wrong team or from people who just don’t understand how youth sports have changed since 2021.
The truth is that travel baseball can be good or it can be very good but it all depends on the program that you join.
Reasons People Give Why Travel Baseball Is Bad
Myths about Why Travel Baseball is Bad
The haters are very passionate about bashing travel ball and a lot of it comes from misunderstanding or they cite examples from bad teams.
Here are some common reasons they give.
1) No Development and Just Focus on Winning
Critics say that travel ball teams just focus on tournaments and not on development and that your child can get good just from your local rec. league such as Little League or Pony.
That is totally not true!
These comments usually come from people who were part of a bad team or were never involved with travel ball.
The practice from an average travel baseball team is way better (if not 10 times better) than the average rec. league practice.
You can have BOTH Development and Play In Tournaments
Critics also forget that development and tournaments are NOT mutually exclusive.
You can have both development AND winning.
Playing in tournaments and under pressure is also part of the development and helps increase baseball mental toughness.
2) You Have to Buy Expensive $400 Bats
That is also not true!
$400 – $500 bats definitely do exist but you don’t need to buy one!
In fact there are great cheap baseball bats that are only $100 – $150 and cheaper than Little League bats.
It is your decision to spend your money wisely.
3) You Have to Spend Tons of Money to Travel
This is only partially true.
There are different travel baseball levels and many of the lower level teams don’t require travel at all and just play in local tournaments.
As your child gets older and decides to join a more competitive team he may be required to travel more but it’s always your decision to choose that team.
My boys didn’t travel much until they turned 12 years old.
My youngest son has been playing travel baseball for over 4 years and still has never had to travel over 50 miles to play in a tournament.
Whether to spend the money to travel is your decision.
You always have the right to say “No” and if the team doesn’t allow it then you can always join another program.
4) Too Expensive and Money Grab
The costs per different travel baseball teams vary and it’s up to you to choose wisely.
That’s another reason why we created this website to help you make the right decisions.
There Are Definitely Bad Teams Out There
Just like everything in life, there are always the good and the bad.
And the same applies to travel baseball.
There are good teams and bad ones and people like to highlight the bad experiences as why travel baseball is bad.
Good Rec. Leagues and Bad Rec. Leagues
Critics love to say just join a rec. league but there are also many bad Little Leagues too where Daddy Ball prevents other kids from getting a fair chance.
But just because of one bad Daddy Ball league doesn’t mean rec. league is bad.
Times Have Changed
Many critics of travel baseball come from a different time when you can just play rec. league and be good enough to be a star in high school.
They will give countless MLB players as examples.
But times have changed!
We are not saying the current scenario is better, but this is the current reality.
Just look at the crazy NIL deals the athletes get, and how youth sports landscape has changed!
If you want your child to play well in sports, you have to embrace the changes, whether you like it or not.
About Simon Chan
Simon Chan played Division 1 basketball and is a part time baseball coach.
He also has 10 years of experience in youth baseball and has 3 boys that play on various travel baseball teams in Southern California.
Outside of baseball, he is a business coach, speaker and Amazon best selling author.
