WHOA: Private Equity Firms Buying Up Kids Hockey, Banning Recordings

[turbinetree]

Instead, parents are forced to subscribe to these companies’ exclusive recording and streaming service, which can cost many times more than the streaming costs for professional sporting events.

By Susie Madrak — November 18, 2025

Sweet baby Jesus. It's not enough that they've recklessly inflated the national housing market, private equity firms are now buying up kids' sports teams and even locking down the rights of parents to record games -- instead, offering their own expensive recording and streaming service. Via The Lever:

There’s an ironclad truism in youth sports: Every parent turns into an ESPN 30 for 30 documentarian as soon as they have a video recording device in hand and their kid is in the game.

Some record the games and post them online so family members and friends who can’t attend in person can watch their kids play. Sometimes they do so to attract the attention of college scouts or help players hone their craft. Some people just want to preserve the memories.

https://crooksandliars.com/2025/11/whoa-private-equity-firms-buying-kids

This is just totally fucked up...............there needs to be a law...........yes a law against this shit...............

[newdeal2]

1. Signs of capitalism's death

They are circling the gutter looking for new ways to make money. Paying for clean air is a lot closer than we think.

[NCDem47]

5. Everything is monetized now.

And its exponentially getting worse. When AI knocks out most jobs, I don't know who the techlords think is going to pay for anything. And you KNOW the U.S. would never go for universal income EVER. We're just serfs at this point.

[milestogo]

6. I remember when there was a rumor spreading around

that people would have to pay to send emails. Ridiculous at the time, but just wait. It could happen.

Of course that might cut down on spam.

[NCDem47]

7. Don't give Google/Gmail any ideas!!!

although...TOTALLY plausible the way things are going.

[Silent Type]

2. Like communities that sell their rural hospitals to PE, why do they do it? Why would a community sports program

sell out to PE?

We don't need laws, we need better community leaders.

[House of Roberts]

3. Sounds like the kids need to assert their NIL rights.

They should sue for compensation as their NIL are being used to profit without them receiving their share.

[Deminpenn]

4. It's pay per view for high school football here

in western PA although there are many free you tube and facebook live streams and also schools that have their own video broadcasts. But if your school or team has none of those, then you have to subscribe and pay for video to NHFS, I believe.

[oldinmtdem92]

8. money ruins everything

sorry but its true where ever it touches ,the root of all evil !