>I don't think kids are considering contracts on the
>playground.

do kids know contract terms? of course not. but trust me, they are well aware of the top players in the NBA, NFL, etc. my son is 6 and is well aware of KD, LeBron and Steph Curry. these kids look up to these guys and want to be like them. money absolutely plays a part in how these guys are viewed and treated whether you know details about the money or not. the parents also are aware of how much money these guys can potentially make. if you think that doesn't somewhat play into how much time and effort gets put into youth sports, then i'm not sure what to tell you.