And this is what really hurts football. It's one of the last sports that isn't year-round, or at least close to it at this point. So if you're expected to train/play year-round in soccer, basketball, hockey etc., you're going to be less likely to be able to play or want to play football in the fall.
We refused to go the traveling basketball route. My kid is playing house league, because I want him to have fun - that's the point. And he is having fun, and he's one of the better players on his team and he gets lots of court time, because the rosters are small. And we don't have to dedicate all weekend every weekend to hoops.
We went to the Wayzata varsity game last week. I think they have six seniors on the roster. With a class size of about 900, and assume half boys and girls, that means there's a 1/75 or .013 chance of playing varsity basketball.