Those rabbit holes are in a lot of cities and High Schools as well. This investigation will only make the bribes more expensive. Does anybody with a lick of common sense really think that High School coaches or ADs aren't taking kickbacks to allow one club over another to use their facilities? Isn't there one such local club that goes and puts high school coaches on their payroll to access to their fields. This is the bigger crime. A rich kid getting a fake degree really doesn't change much in the big picture as they were rich to begin with and will be rich afterwards.
The real crime is that this seems to be happening in cities and schools all over southern California where local kids playing in Sunday leagues have to scrounge for a patch of grass to practice on in the dark while these big buck clubs get all the premium fields with lights. How can any city or school grant exclusive use to these big companies looking to get bigger to make more money? I know some idiot that doesn't understand non profits is going to respond and say that they are non profits so it isn't about money. Use your time more wisely and read up on these non profit scams before commenting. There are kids in my neighborhood that have no place to play or practice because big clubs have taken over all the grass in the neighborhood. It wasn't like that when my kids were young. At least these kids are better behaved now days. In my day, we would have made it so all these rich people and their fancy cars wouldn't want to drive, let alone park, in our neighborhood.
Somebody convince me that these coaches and city employees are not getting coin under the table. Schools and Cities should open up the fields to all parties equally. If it cost $10 bucks, then whoever pays the $10 bucks should be allowed to use it. It should not be exclusive to people that don't even live in the city or go to the school.
Convince you of a negative? No thanks.
No doubt there is some "politics" being played at specific schools, and some clubs and coaches play the game well. But, speaking from actually experience in my area, most school districts have very specific policies, payment plans and priorities they must, and do, follow. In the South Bay (Torrance, Palos Verdes, Manhattan/Hermosa, San Pedro), AYSO or majority local youth soccer groups get priority in nearly every case, and pay reduced rates.
The big fields with lights often cost a lot of $ to build and maintain, and only exist because the school districts and cities know the clubs (soccer, football, other) will pay the cost to build and maintain them. School budgets for field maintenance are being cut (assign blame as you see fit) and in many cases the only way they can be maintained is by users who are able to pay the bill.
You want to go back to the good old days of playing on unlit dirt fields, slowly being taken over by gophers we can no longer easily eradicate because parents sue schools who use poison? Give them free to Rec leagues and locals, kick off the clubs, and your wish is granted.