the<\/em> event of the year?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nHey batter, batter \u2013 the MLB World Series slides into 2<\/strong>nd<\/sup><\/strong> <\/strong>base <\/em><\/strong>as the most in-demand sporting event to attend<\/strong>. Baseball, dubbed America\u2019s oldest pastimes, is a true classic sport. Whether fans adore it for the game itself or its nostalgia, the MLB World Series is an event that many dream of experiencing in person. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSwish! Dribbling into 3<\/strong>rd<\/sup><\/strong> place<\/strong> out of 9, the NBA Finals <\/strong>snags bronze for its popularity amongst sports enthusiasts. The championship series is a definite slam dunk, with the playoffs averaging 5.4M viewers per game, and a whopping 12M for the championship game alone! Its blend of high-energy action and team spirit leaves many fans with serious FOMO, itching to score tickets to the main event. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFinishing off the rest of the rankings: FIFA World Cup (4th<\/sup>), Olympics (5th<\/sup>), Stanley Cup Finals (6th<\/sup>), The Masters (7th<\/sup>), Formula One Grand Prix (8th<\/sup>), and Grand Slam (9th<\/sup>). <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow much fans are willing pay to attend the championships<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nRiding the Super Bowl<\/strong> popularity wave, fans are also willing to max out their credit cards to attend the championship. When asked, \u201chow much would you spend to attend the Super Bowl, if you could”, respondents answered with an eye-popping average of $1,598.31!<\/strong> Think that\u2019s a lot? Well, hold onto your helmets because that\u2019s only a mere 18.9% of the recent Super Bowl\u2019s ticket price tag \u2013 which averaged $8,600. Fans will need some serious savings game planning if they want to score tickets. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWith the 2024 Summer Olympics<\/strong> around the corner, it\u2019s clear that fans are ready to go the distance in terms of ticket costs. Ranking 2<\/strong>nd<\/sup><\/strong> overall, they\u2019re willing to dish out an average of $1,448.28 per ticket<\/strong> \u2013 and that\u2019s not including overseas flights or accommodations! Luckily, ticket prices do vary depending on the specific sport. Finals and beloved sports like swimming or gymnastics can cost a grand, while lesser-known events like handball or fencing can come to under $300. Despite the diverse range of sports, fans are willing to dig deep into their pockets to cheer on their country\u2019s athletes in Paris! <\/p>\n\n\n\nDespite its underdog status in terms of popularity, the Grand Slam<\/strong> proves to be a major contender in fan spending. Ranking as the 3<\/strong>rd<\/sup><\/strong> most expensive<\/strong> event for fans eager to attend, they\u2019re ready to serve up an average of $1,432.22!<\/strong> Let’s break down the US Open prices for example: Women\u2019s Finals start at $755, while the Men\u2019s Finals kick off at a hefty $2,220 \u2013 and those aren\u2019t courtside seats! If you\u2019re hoping for courtside seats, be prepared to spend at least $2,250 for the Women\u2019s Finals or $7,000 for the Men\u2019s Finals. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWrapping up the rankings, the FIFA World Cup takes 4th<\/sup> place, with fans willing to spend $1,020.20 to attend. Following is the Formula One Grand Prix (5th<\/sup>), The Masters (6th<\/sup>), NBA Finals (7th<\/sup>), MLB World Series (8th<\/sup>), and the Stanley Cup Finals (9th<\/sup>). <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe most and least affordable events for fans<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTo determine which major sports event are the most budget-friendly or financially out-of-reach for fans, we compared the average ticket prices that our respondents were willing to pay with the average ticket cost from each of the latest championship or finals events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
#1 FIFA World Cup \u2013 119% #2 Olympics \u2013 93.5% #3 The Masters \u2013 54.6% #4 Stanley Cup Finals \u2013 49% #5 Grand Slam \u2013 43% #6 MLB World Series \u2013 39.1% #7 Formula One Grand Prix \u2013 30.4% #8 Super Bowl \u2013 18.9% #9 NBA Finals \u2013 11.9% <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The FIFA World Cup is the most affordable event for fans<\/strong>, with our respondents willing to pay 119% over the average ticket price. While the average 2022 ticket price stood at $855, fans were ready to spend $1,020.20 to secure a ticket. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOn the other end of the spectrum, the NBA Finals is the most out-of-reach sports event<\/strong>, with fans only able to pay 11.9% of the latest average ticket price. With the 2023 NBA Finals ticket averaging $6,080.52, respondents were only willing to shell out an average of $722.12 for entry. <\/p>\n\n\n\nConclusion<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s clear as day that sports is a way of life, sometimes accompanied by serious financial commitments. Luckily, there\u2019s a variety of different championships fans can attend without draining their wallets entirely \u2013 whether that be opting for more affordable seating, attending non-final events, or simply enjoying the action from home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Methodology<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn May 2024, we conducted a nationwide survey of 3,000 North American sports fans. The average age of respondents was 40.8 years old. The representative sample comprised of 75.1% male, 24.2% female, 0.4% non-binary, and 0.3% transgender. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please note that prices are in USD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fair use<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nFeel free to use the data or visuals on this page for non-commercial purposes. Please be sure to include proper attribution linking back to this page to give credit to the authors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For any press questions, please contact rhiannon.odonohoe[at]casino.org <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Scoreeee! Sports aren\u2019t just a game or a lifestyle, it\u2019s also a multibillion-dollar industry \u2013 we’re talking $83.1B to be …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":40341,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Price of Spectatorship: Fan Spending Across Major Sports Event<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n