13 hours ago
Why ice is power in North Texas
The world of youth sports has traditionally revolved around the athletes, their families and community non-profits. Volunteers, who see youth sports as a labor of love, drive many of the decisions.
But that's not the case in northern Texas, where a National Hockey League team valued at $2 billion is calling the shots.
The Dallas Stars shuts parents out and effectively controls the pathways by which young players advance to the highest ranks of the sport, according to a seven-month investigation by USA TODAY's Kenny Jacoby.
👋 USA TODAY Editor-in-Chief Caren Bohan here. Welcome to The Backstory, our newsletter exclusively for subscribers (that's you!). I'll be taking you behind the scenes of our breaking news coverage, scoops and unique storytelling. I also love to hear from our subscribers, so drop me a line at cbohan@ if you have something on your mind.
NHL youth hockey team valued at $2 billion capitalizes local rinks
Kenny Jacoby's reporting on the Dallas Stars National Hockey league team epitomizes the accountability journalism that is a pillar of USA TODAY's relationship with our readers, viewers and listeners. It was gratifying to see the response from so many readers who wrote in thank Jacoby for shedding light on the topic and giving voice to the frustrations of people who felt they had no say.
"What caught my interest was that a for-profit National Hockey League team valued at $2 billion was so intimately involved in running the sport's youth levels," Jacoby says. "It sounded nothing like my experiences playing youth baseball, soccer, basketball and football in community leagues run by nonprofit organizations and volunteers. "
Jacoby's story and related video brought responses from well over 100 readers.
"The issue struck a nerve with parents not just in Texas, but across the country," Jacoby says. "Our Formstack callout alone generated nearly 80 responses from hockey parents in 19 states. Many expressed similar concerns about for-profit entities taking over rinks and leagues in their areas, strong-arming families into paying higher prices and using positions on nonprofit governing bodies to advance their financial interests.
🏒 Sound familiar? Share your experience with commercialization in youth sports with USA TODAY.
These USA TODAY headlines caught my eye this week:
When empty churches answer housing scarcity
The number of Americans who belong to a church, synagogue or mosque has plummeted over the last few decades, dropping from 70% in 1999 to just 47% in 2020, according to a Gallup poll.
The result is that houses of worship that were once anchors of the community are at risk of becoming vacant and falling into disrepair.
As USA TODAY reporter Andrea Riquier writes, some house hunters are seeing an opportunity, viewing some of the vacant houses of worship as an opportunity to acquire their dream home. Riquier interviews homeowners such as Cristiana Peña and Nick Porter who decided they were "all-in" on embracing a non-traditional home and renovation costs in exchange for living in a beautiful, historic space.
For anyone thinking of taking the leap, be forewarned: the process comes special challenges, including expensive rehab work and, in some case, complicated financing.
A few more favorite USA TODAY reads:
Thank you
It's almost the end of summer: from sports to politics, we've brought incredible stories to you through these hot, busy months. Thank you for supporting our journalism with your subscription. Our work wouldn't be possible without you.
Best wishes,
Caren
