A $40 Billion Youth Sports Market Lacks Basic Child Safeguards
Tom Farrey of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program argues that youth sports need a basic governance layer if they are to deliver on their civic and developmental promise. In a conversation moderated by Chuck Todd, Farrey makes the case for registration, safety standards, abuse reporting, school-based support and a children’s rights framework, while Todd frames youth sports as one of the few remaining local institutions that still brings divided communities together. Their shared premise is that more participation is not enough if the system remains privatized, fragmented and weakly accountable.
The Aspen Institute·May 20, 2026·10 min read
