The sports market is huge. At an upwards of 60 billion dollars a year spent on sports in the United States, Americans are spending as much or more on sports as they are on gasoline. With all this money passing hands, there is no doubt there will be ethical issues that arise. But, with 55 million kids participating in youth sports, entrepreneurs are actively targeting them for all sorts of new products from cool sports wear to little league professional training programs.

Most of this is just business as usual and well meaning people are actively providing good products to eager people. But with 75% of our executive leaders coming from backgrounds where sports were one of their main developmental activities, the future of our country and it’s culture may ride on how we deal with these issues. Therefore, the question needs to be ask: Are we selling our kids out to entrepreneurs wanting to make a buck and egomaniacs wanting to be dictators over 10 years olds, or are our kids engaging in a healthy past time where our youth gain valuable life lessons? We may be doing both of these things without knowing it.

Today’s show welcomes Kristie Minkoff whose unique background gives us some great insight into this complex issue.