Among the oldest and most-recognized names in the travel basketball space is AAU, short for the Amateur Athletic Union. Since 1888, the AAU has hosted events and competitions to enhance athletes’ skills throughout the country, providing glimpses of thousands of professional athletes during their formative years.

Until the 1970s, the AAU was the dominant entity in amateur sports as the AAU was the United States’ governing body for international non-professional competitions such as the Olympics. Since the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 was enacted, the body has continued to offer opportunities to younger athletes in a regulated environment outside of school-sanctioned sports.

Basketball has long been considered the AAU’s crown jewel. An AAU-associated travel basketball team is significantly different than creating other travel teams due to the rules and regulations provided by the organization. While both have pros and cons, the benefits of creating an AAU basketball squad are significant and entice most individuals who start a travel team. Below are 13 benefits of creating an AAU travel basketball club.

Recognition

Being a part of the AAU membership can distinguish your travel basketball team from others in the area. The name AAU is synonymous with travel sports because of its 135-year existence promoting youth sports. Gaining membership into the organization and being able to use the organization’s logo and name in promotional materials will earn instance recognition from individuals searching travel teams to join.

Consistency

As stated before, the AAU has existed in various forms for nearly 15 decades, and the organization is not showing signs of slowing down. By creating affordable club membership levels for travel basketball teams, the AAU has cemented its place travel space. Your basketball squad will have a trusted partner organization providing assistance for the foreseeable future.

Accident Insurance

The AAU boasts that their athlete accident insurance coverage is among the best in the country for youth sports. Inevitably, accidents happen to players on travel basketball teams. Having an insurance covering such incidents is a benefit that some organizations do not provide to member institutions. This coverage also helps protect the travel team itself from sustaining litigation or liability in most cases.

Multiple Membership Levels

Travel basketball teams can decide what membership level best suits their needs. Level 1 AAU clubs can apply for practice insurance and participate in AAU-only events. Level 2 clubs add those benefits plus the ability to use AAU logos in promotional materials. Level 3 clubs gain those benefits as well as the opportunity to fundraise and receive tax-exempt donations.

Low Entry Fees

Depending on the travel team’s needs, the AAU has a club membership level that is affordably priced for start-up organizations or returning clubs. To participate or host AAU-certified tournaments, a Level 2 club will pay $60 for the year as of 2023. The highest-priced option is $300, granting Level 3 clubs access to non-profit fundraising status. While certain rules apply, this benefit alone is a savings of several hundreds of dollars (versus creating a non-profit organization) and will cover multiple teams.

Coverage Beyond Sponsored Events

When individual players create an AAU membership, each athlete or coach will have opportunity to purchase extended coverage. This benefit allows members to have the same coverage at non-AAU sanctioned events as they would inside a sanctioned event, bestowing further peace of mind for participants and the travel basketball team’s organization.

Simplified Rules

The AAU has standard rules that apply to all competitions the organization sponsors. Rules vary greatly between non-AAU tournaments and can be difficult to keep up with for parents, players and coaches. Travel basketball teams and spectators will know immediately what to expect when they participate in AAU official events.

Easy Event Finder

On the AAU website, a “Find An Event” link will give you access to all available AAU-sponsored events across the country. From weekend competitions to demonstrations and clinics, you’ll find dozens of options for your travel basketball team – both locally and across the United States. This is a great feature for AAU travel basketball teams to ensure their competition matches their level of play.

General Liability Coverage

Yet another perk of being under the AAU umbrella is the ability to apply for general liability coverage. This is a event or recurring coverage that can be provided to basketball gym or facility owners that indemnifies them from issues while your travel basketball team holds a practice or tournament on their court. The fee starts at $35 per issuance, crafting a low-cost solution that some organizations are required to produce.

League Play

Travel basketball teams can join leagues in addition to playing in tournament-style events. These leagues last from four weeks to four months and give individuals the opportunity to find like-minded programs to play against on a regular basis. This is a great way to keep your travel basketball team together playing other teams nearby on a weekly basis.

Community Activism

The AAU promotes two different community outreach programs to benefit disadvantaged youth beyond the sports world. Both the AAU Cares program and the Urban Initiative were created in the last decade to take AAU’s mission beyond travel sports and into the heart of communities. Both programs create opportunities for basketball teams to give back to their community in addition to playing a sport they love.

Regional Competitions

Do you think your travel basketball team has what it takes to be recognized as the best in your region or state? The AAU hosts dozens of district and regional tournaments annually that feed into the national competition. Winning one of these events grants the travel basketball team access to the championship tournament with preferred bracket status.

International Tournaments

Even if you didn’t win a regional or state AAU meet, your travel basketball team can compete in the AAU’s national tournament each year. Annually, hundreds of teams ascend on the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida to battle for this title. The male championships take place here in July while the female international championships are held later in the same month.