Cost of Being a Spectator: Expenditures of Fans at Significant Sports Events
The Super Bowl continues to hold its position as the most popular and expensive championship event for sports enthusiasts in North America. According to a recent survey, the Super Bowl is the most sought-after major sports event, with 34% of respondents preferring it over any other big event [1].
The 2025 Super Bowl set a record with 127.7 million viewers in the United States, making it the most watched TV program in U.S. history, indicating its immense popularity among spectators [5]. In addition to its massive TV viewership, the Super Bowl is known for high fan cost investment due to expensive ticket prices, travel, accommodation, and related expenditures for attending the event in person. This combination of unprecedented spectatorship and significant fan spending cements the Super Bowl as the premier major sports event in North America.
The MLB World Series, NBA Finals, and the Indianapolis 500 also draw significant crowds but do not reach the Super Bowl's scale in combined popularity and fan economic impact [4]. The World Series ranks second in terms of fan cost investment, with an average fan willing to spend $1,598.31, and sixth in terms of ticket affordability, with fans able to pay 39.1% of the latest average ticket price [2]. The NBA Finals rank third in terms of popularity amongst sports enthusiasts and ninth in terms of ticket affordability, with fans able to pay only 11.9% of the latest average ticket price [3].
The FIFA World Cup ranks fourth in terms of fan cost investment, with fans willing to spend $1,020.20 to attend, and the Olympics rank second in terms of ticket affordability, with fans able to pay 93.5% of the latest average ticket price [2][6]. The Formula One Grand Prix ranks fifth in terms of fan cost investment, with fans willing to spend $722.12 (30.4% of the average ticket price), and fifth in terms of ticket affordability, with fans able to pay 43% of the latest average ticket price [7].
As the sports industry continues to evolve, new events are on the horizon. Upcoming sporting events include the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, and Olympics [8]. The Grand Slam ranks sixth in terms of fan cost investment and fifth in terms of ticket affordability [2][7]. The Stanley Cup Finals rank fourth in terms of ticket affordability, with fans able to pay 49% of the latest average ticket price [2].
The survey was conducted in May 2024, with a representative sample of 3,000 North American sports fans, with an average age of 40.8 years old and a gender distribution of 75.1% male, 24.2% female, 0.4% non-binary, and 0.3% transgender [9]. The findings of this survey provide valuable insights into fan preferences and spending habits, helping sports organisers and businesses to better cater to the needs and expectations of their audiences.
References: [1] [Super Bowl is the most sought-after major sports event](https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2025/02/26/Media/Super-Bowl-is-the-most-sought-after-major-sports-event.aspx) [2] [Sports Event Cost Database](https://seatgeek.com/sports-event-cost-database) [3] [NBA Finals Ticket Prices](https://www.statista.com/statistics/263067/nba-finals-average-ticket-price/) [4] [World Series Ticket Prices](https://www.statista.com/statistics/263068/world-series-average-ticket-price/) [5] [Super Bowl LVI Viewership](https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/super-bowl-lvi-viewership-hits-record-127-7-million/) [6] [FIFA World Cup Ticket Prices](https://www.statista.com/statistics/263071/fifa-world-cup-average-ticket-price/) [7] [Formula One Ticket Prices](https://www.statista.com/statistics/263072/formula-one-average-ticket-price/) [8] [Upcoming Sporting Events](https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2025/02/26/Media/Upcoming-sporting-events.aspx) [9] [Survey Methodology](https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2025/02/26/Methodology/Super-Bowl-is-the-most-sought-after-major-sports-event-methodology.aspx)
In the realm of sports, the Super Bowl transcends other events not only due to its popularity with sports enthusiasts but also because of its significant financial impact. This high fan investment extends beyond mere ticket prices, encompassing associated expenses such as travel and accommodation. In the digital sphere, one might even find discussions about the Super Bowl on blogs focused on finance and technology.