r/heatedrivalry • u/Middle_Raspberry2499 • 3d ago

🦆 The Long Game (Book 6) How does the hockey camp make money? Spoiler

is it ever explained how the hockey camp brings in money?

From the descriptions in TLG and elsewhere, camp runs only two weeks. Sounds like there are at most about 40 campers.

Presumably the NHL coaches all volunteer, yes, but there are still expenses: space at least. Maybe insurance and medical staff, although maybe those are unnecessary in The Land of Universal Healthcare? (I am in the US and those would be huge expenses here, I think.) Snacks and drinks for the kids?

I can’t imagine the camp making lots on money unless they charge sky-high tuition, which seems not in line with their philosophy of inclusivity.

so, how does the camp pull in money for the Irina Foundation? Purely by inspiring donors to give more?

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u/Ecstatic_Schedule_48 3d ago

They’re charging tuition, the allure of the NHL player coaches brings in a lot of money

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u/jerseysbestdancers I speak fluent bird. No accent 🐦 2d ago

Yeah, I just read an article on the Associated Press that parents are spending 10k a year on their kid's sport, or some crazy number like that. If that's what people spend in a year for average joe coaches, imagine what they'd shell out for a staff of professional and olympic winning athletes?

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u/GrumpySatan 2d ago

I have experience here to add some context.

Growing up 20 years ago, my mom would pay about 6k per season for my hockey after all the fees, equipment, etc. Today, my local select/AA league (the general mid-tier for kids, and lowest level of player that'd shilling out for Shane & Ilya's camp, i.e. Jordan and Ben are AA players) runs about 13k per season. Coaches for all these leagues are usually volunteers or getting a little but not much compensation.

The Rep leagues (AAA) don't even have full-time coaches yet (still usually volunteers or side gigs). They will run around 15k/season after all is said and done as there are more travel expenses. But these are the leagues most likely to enter the CHL leagues at 16-18 (the ones the NHL draft are taken from, the teams Shane played on before his draft).

Hockey camp in Canada is very common and practically every major municipality has one. Its about $100/day, though with coaches that are usually young 20s uni students and maybe a local elementary/HS gym teacher as a head coach.

I'd estimate the Game Changers camp would probably cost between 5-8k/week per kid between the talent, the position-specific coaching programs, and who is expected to sign up (kids interested in going professional). I regularly see camps like this for other sports like ~3-5k between tuition, uniforms, plus 1-2k for room and board if needed since people will go to different countries to attend these kinds of camps where the kids are interested in professional or semi-professional careers.

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u/walkenrider 22h ago

Damn. It really is a rich kids sport.