The City of Irvine is planning to impose a 1,100% fee increase on youth sports organizations to use city athletic fields, including baseball fields, starting July 1st. Fees paid to the City by Northwood Little League would increase from approximately $5,000/year to $60,000/year. To cover these additional costs, registrations fees would increase $125 on average per player above and beyond current fees. If you have multiple kids in our league, and many do, you could be looking at $250-$375 increases. By the way, this affects soccer, flag football, and other sports as well and parents have already told us that they will be forced to quit one sport because costs are just too high.

NWLL serves nearly 1,000 players each year over fall and spring season including one of the largest special needs Challenger programs in the OC. Registration fees average about $200 per player, ranging from $99 - $250. We charge Challenger players $50. Each year, we give thousands of dollars in financial assistance. We never turn a player away. Something we are very proud of as an NWLL family.

Raising our costs will have a dramatic impact on driving registration numbers down. Many costs like insurance and chartering fees are fixed and will be spread across fewer players. We will have to reduce practices, reduce games, lower quality of uniforms, equipment, trophies, and other cost reduction measures.

Bottom Line: Where we spend our money shows our values. Raising revenue on the back of non-profits serving kids in our community demonstrates the wrong values. Look at other ways like business permits or other city fees. Don’t devastate the community programs that make the City of Irvine great.

The City Council will vote on this matter at their 4 pm meeting on Tuesday, May 14th at City Hall. We’d like as many of you as possible to attend wearing your baseball jerseys and hats to voice your disapproval of this massive fee increase.

Please sign and share this petition with family and friends. Encourage the Council to Vote no on the Irvine Sports Tax. It's a yes vote for our kids.