Worcester Business Journal

10 Worcester Business Journal | April 7, 2025 | wbjournal.com Youth hockey has become big business in Central Mass., even as programs focused on fun lose ground to more competitive teams BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor W alking past a game featuring elementary school-aged hock- ey players at local arenas like the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, you'd probably be more focused on the adorable scene of pint-sized players in oversized pads slowly ambling aer the puck, than the economics at play. But youth hockey creates a surpris- ing amount of economic activity in the region. Massachusetts had 40,699 registered hockey players under the age of 18 in 2024, according to stats from USA Hockey, the governing body for the sport. at's more than 10% of the country's youth hockey population, second only to Minnesota. Central Massachusetts is home to more than 1,300 youth hockey players from ages 9 to 14, who play for what's known as house teams, according to stats from state-level governing body Mass Hockey. House teams are run by organizations focused more on fun and developing life skills, compared to more elite travel clubs. With a season of house-team hockey costing parents around $2,000 per play- er, youth players in the 9-14 age range account for upward of $2.6 million a year just in league fees in the region. Additional youth players play in other age brackets and for travel clubs. Costs of playing for an elite travel team can be three times or more expensive as playing for a house team, leading to costs of $20,000 or more a year for some families, according to eHockeyink- Tank.com. Factoring in more expensive travel teams, along with the revenue generated from equipment purchases, ice rentals, and the lodging costs and other expens- es related to tournaments, it's safe to say youth hockey has an outsized influence on the Central Massachusetts economy. "We hear from the restaurants. ey want to know when there is a big tournament happening, because they want to make sure that they're prepared from a staffing standpoint," said Mer- edith Harris, executive director of the Marlborough Economic Development Corp. "Even the gas stations and smaller businesses are impacted significantly by tournaments." e sport has become more competitive and more focused on travel teams and high-profile tour- naments, evolving into an all-year en- deavor for youth players committed to playing at a higher level. is has applied pressure to house-level teams and the organizations running them, as they look to provide a space for more players and parents focused on fun and developing life skills over pure hockey competition. Marlborough runs on hockey In 1969, Larue Renfroe founded Assurance Technology Corp., a satellite and communications systems developer based in Carlisle. Frustrated by the lack of available ice PHOTO | COURTESY OF TRIBORO YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION Power play Larue Renfroe, founder of New England Sports Center Thousands of youth athletes play hockey in Central Massachusetts, with tournament and equipment sales creating economic activity in the process.

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