The amount of money involved — nearly double the annual revenue of the NFL — has made youth sports increasingly attractive to private investors, including private equity firms. Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office opened its own investigation into anticompetitive business practices in youth hockey last November. It centered on the privately owned Dallas Stars, a National Hockey League team whose board includes private equity executives. Another USA Today investigation detailed how the team used tens of millions in taxpayer dollars to corner the youth hockey market in Texas. Private investment can provide the capital that allows sports companies and youth leagues to respond to market demand for higher-quality coaching and services.