Sports Fandom Getting Too Expensive for 57% of Fans, Survey Finds

Written By Nick Crain | Last Updated at October 20, 2026

Over half (57%) of US sports fans feel being a fan is becoming a luxury, according to TheLines.com's 2026 Sports Fandom Cost Study. Nearly 8 in 10 sports fans say they’ve noticed that cheering on their favorite sports heroes has gotten more expensive over the past 12 months, driven by the rising costs of streaming subscriptions, tickets, travel, and merchandise. How does this impact the overall sports fan experience?

Key findings:

Will being a sports fan soon be reserved only for those with deep enough pockets? It may sound unthinkable, but with the rising costs of game tickets, transportation, team merch, and streaming subscriptions, sports fans are having to reach deeper into their wallets to follow their teams.

How rising prices impact fan experience

TheLines.com surveyed 3,000 sports fans nationwide and found that 79% noticed a significant increase in sports fandom costs over the past year, a shift that is affecting the overall fan experience. Nearly half of fans say they feel less connected to their team when they can no longer afford to attend a game or buy merch. Over half, or 57%, believe that "being a fan" is turning into a luxury rather than an affordable pastime.

Ticket prices caused sports fans to skip 2.3 games this year

Over the past year, sports fans were unable to attend 2.3 games of their favorite team because they couldn’t afford it, a number that peaks at 3.2 games among NHL and MLS fans specifically. For some, this comes with a social toll: 38% of sports fans admit to lying to friends or family over the past year, claiming they didn’t want to go to a game when the real reason was simply that tickets were too expensive.

1 in 4 canceled sports streaming services last year over costs

It's not just attending games in person—watching them on TV comes with a price tag as well. Respondents identify this as the most noticeable price increase over the past 12 months. For nearly 1 in 4 (or 23%), it was reason enough to cancel their sports streaming service. Another 16% of respondents say they downgraded their subscription over the past year to cut costs.

6 in 10 sports fans cut back on team gear this Black Friday

With Black Friday and the holidays around the corner, 6 in 10 sports fans say they are planning to cut back on team-related purchases this holiday season. In Kentucky, this percentage is the highest at 89%. Sports fans in West Virginia are the least likely to cut back on team-related items with Black Friday ahead, coming in at the lowest nationwide rate of 36%.

When asked how they’d spend $200 this Black Friday if given the choice, the majority of sports fans put their family first. 51% would spend it on gifts for family and friends, 23% would spend it on themselves—though on something unrelated to sports—while 13% would spend it on a ticket to see their favorite team, and 9% would choose team merch. Just 4% would spend it on a sports streaming subscription.

54% choose unofficial merch over high prices

Throughout the rest of the year, sports fans continue to carefully weigh their spending on team-related items. 69% of US sports fans state they backed out of buying a jersey in the past year because it was too expensive. More than half of the country's sports enthusiasts, 54%, bought unofficial or cheaper merchandise instead of official gear over the past 12 months to save money.

Methodology

In September 2026, TheLines.com surveyed 3,000 US sports fans nationwide for its 2026 Sports Fandom Cost Study. We examined how the cost of being a sports fan has increased and how this impacts the fan experience. The survey asked respondents about their state of residence, the primary sports league they follow, and the extent to which they have experienced economic changes related to being a fan and following their favorite team.

Respondents were asked which expenses have increased the most in their experience and how these price hikes affect their spending on sports streaming subscriptions, cable fees, merchandise purchases, and stadium attendance. Additionally, the survey inquired about their planned spending for Black Friday and the holiday season. 76% of respondents identified as male, 23% as female, and 1% as non-binary, with an average age of 42.4 years.

The following states were excluded from the study due to insufficient data: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming.