So to address if my kid likes it or this is a parent thing.
My kid loves playing baseball and being around his teammates and other kids. He is also very proud when he puts on his uniform, carries his own ball bag, gets a hit or makes a play in the field. He is bummed out when he doesn't, not from me, but his own internal expectations. If doing well makes him happy, there is nothing wrong IMO giving him better tools than I can provide to help him develop.
My kid also played Soccer a number of years, swimming, and was in martial arts (Ninja school) as he calls it until COVID hit.
My kid will go out in our back yard with his ball bag, set up the practice balls on the "mound" put on his helmet and say dad, come play with me. This will be at 3 pm in the afternoon when I am in the middle of work and only happen to be working from home due to COVID.
It is a Camp during winter break. They have Snowcone parties, this week Santa is coming to visit and next week they are doing some New Years Party. I am sure they will have base running competitions and stuff that my kid LOVES and he gets to be around a bunch of other kids instead of at home bored. Regardless if MLB guest players or coaches are there, it is a baseball Academy year round with professional staff in teaching to each age level. He will get out of the house, have fun and learn something (I hope).
I didn't want to continue playing baseball when I was in High school. I told my dad and he got pissed. He basically forced me continue. However, I am glad he did. I ended up having a lot of fun with my team, learning a lot, making new friends and being active. If it were left to me, I would have sat on the couch, watched movies and played Nintendo or Atari or whatever it was back then.
You are right about the cost and the time involved etc. I don't like the cost either and also think it is ridiculous. The positive thing about these travel teams is, the kids get to go to these towns ( a lot of times beach towns) in Florida, hang out in the hotel swimming pool, pizza parties at restaurants after games, basically a big sleep over in the hotel with all their buddies, go to the beach, play group mini-golf etc.. It is a blast for a kid to do all that..
I also thought the cost of books at University was an fnnnn scam and cost too much. I would buy a book for $100 bucks and then the next semester they would come out with 4th edition and Professors would require 4th edition and I could sell my book for $10 bucks and the 4th edition was two or three chapters switched around with a few new paragraphs added. Biggest fnnn costly BS scam that made it hard to pay for books and tuition. The system sucked, but I wasn't going to become all SJW and boycott University for my "principles". Nor am I going to do the same for my kids sports.
I have worked hard and been blessed with the opportunity to have my older son now, participate in this stuff and hopefully my 5 month old in a few years. Yes, I don't like the costs either, I realize there are intense parents, but it is what it is and not something I am taking a stand over as long as I see my kid having fun and that is the way the system works...