The Cost Of Being A Fan

11/26/2025

Live sport is one of the most captivating, dramatic, and exhilarating forms of entertainment on the planet. There are sports fans worldwide who follow teams and athletes passionately, and North America is no exception.

According to a recent Ipsos survey, over two-thirds (67%) of Americans see themselves as being fans of at least one sport, and most of these have a favourite team in one of the major sports leagues.¹ Fans are vital to sports franchises, as they pay hard-earned money to watch their team, whether at the ground, in pubs, or at home. Furthermore, many will buy merchandise of their team, such as replica jerseys, to show their support.

Whilst it can be expensive to be a fan of every major club, some are far more expensive than others. To discover the most expensive, the sports experts at Spin Genie have studied several factors to reveal the most expensive clubs to be a fan of.

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Key Takeaways

Americans pay an average of $239 for a day out watching their favourite team.
Watching the New York Knicks is the most expensive day out for American sports fans, costing over $375 for the full experience – nearly $140 more than the average!
The most valuable clubs are generally the most expensive for fans; four of the five franchises worth over 10 billion rank in the top twenty for fan costs.

The Most Expensive Teams To Be A Fan Of

The New York Knicks top the ranking with a cost of being a fan score of 9.6/10, followed by fellow basketball teams the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers in second and third place, respectively. Overall, the results show a trend towards clubs in New York and Los Angeles being especially expensive for fans, as four franchises in these cities feature in the top ten.

1. New York Knicks: Overall score of 9.6/10

The world-famous New York Knicks are the most expensive team to support in America, and despite their recent lack of success, they remain one of the most popular teams in the local area, which allows them to charge higher ticket prices.

General tickets to the Knicks are nearly $170, almost $100 more than the national average ($73.76), potentially due to game scheduling strategies, tourist interest, and stadium capacity.²

In fact, despite having fewer fans and a much lower value than the Golden State Warriors, the Knicks' average ticket prices are $20 more, which highlights the premium placed on events in New York City.

2. Golden State Warriors: Overall score of 9.15/10

The Golden State Warriors, based in San Francisco, are one of the most famous and accomplished basketball teams in America, but the cost of this success has an impact on fans.

Replica Warriors jerseys are among the most expensive in any sports club, at $150, and are the joint most expensive in the NBA. General tickets are also just under $150, meaning it is twice as expensive to watch a Warriors game as the national average of $74 for a sporting event.

3. Los Angeles Lakers: Overall score of 9.06/10

Ranking just behind the Warriors are the LA Lakers; the only thing separating them is the slightly more affordable general tickets at the Lakers ($136) and 50 cents cheaper beers. Replica versions of famous purple and gold vests worn by stars like Shaquille O’Neill and the late Kobe Bryant will set fans back $150.

The Priciest Fan Expenses Across American Sports

Beyond the overall cost of a game day, certain individual purchases can dramatically increase what fans spend. Which team charges the most for a pint of beer? Whose hot dogs have the highest price tags? Here, we put each game-day expense in the spotlight.

Across all 151 teams analysed, the average fan spends $8.98 on a beer, $5.51 on a soft drink, $5.89 on a hot dog, $21.95 on parking, and $123.61 on a replica jersey. Some teams sit significantly above these averages.

DC United (MLS) sells the most expensive beer at $15.40 – around 70% higher than the average price of $8.98. Other clubs charging a premium price for beer include the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Union ($15).
Three teams are tied in first place for the most expensive soft drink, with Seattle Kraken (NHL), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL), and DC United (MLS) all charging $8 for a soda or other non-alcoholic beverage. Each of these teams charges roughly 45% more than the average soft drink price of $5.51.
The hot dogs with the highest prices are sold by Inter Miami CF (MLS). Fans fancying a frankfurter at one of this team’s games will need to pay $10.55 a dog – nearly double the average of $5.89.
The Los Angeles Chargers (NFL) have the priciest parking, with the average cost per vehicle being $58.40 on game days. This is almost double the average across other teams ($21.95).
Boston Bruins (NHL) fans pay the most for replica jerseys, with each shirt costing $190. Just one cent behind the B’s is the Toronto Raptors, which charges $189.99 for a replica jersey. If you’re a fan of either of these teams, you’ll pay around 50% more than the average jersey price ($123.61).

The Teams With The Most Expensive Tickets

Although the majority of fans watch the games at home on television, there is still nothing quite like a matchday experience for fans. The Las Vegas Raiders have the most expensive average tickets, just edging out the New York Knicks.

Despite having the largest stadiums, the data shows that NFL tickets are generally more expensive, as seventy per cent of the top ten most expensive clubs are American Football teams.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: General ticket cost of $168.83

The Las Vegas Raiders relocated to Sin City in 2017, meaning fans from the team's original location in Oakland, California, have to pay to travel to watch their team in its new surroundings, 553 miles away.

In addition, the general admission cost of a ticket at Allegiant Stadium is $168.83, the most expensive in the country, and over $90 more than the national average.

2. New York Knicks: General ticket cost of $168.23

The most expensive NBA team to watch is the New York Knicks, and they are only $0.60 cheaper than the most expensive general tickets of any sport. The Knicks play ball at the iconic Madison Square Garden arena in Manhattan, and to be one of the 20,000 fans inside will cost you $168.83.

3. San Francisco 49ers: General ticket cost of $161.33

The 49ers play at one of the newest stadiums in the NFL; Levi's Stadium has been their home since 2014, and it is one of the most sought-after tickets in American sports.

The general admission ticket to watch the 49ers at home is $161.33; this means that watching San Francisco’s football team is around $120 more expensive than watching the city’s baseball team, the San Francisco Giants.

The Most Expensive NFL Team To Be A Fan Of

The NFL is the most-watched American sport, with the top football division drawing 51% of adult Americans.³

To shed light on the cost of the NFL’s popularity, we analysed the most expensive teams to support and the reasons behind their high prices.

1. Philadelphia Eagles: Overall score of 6.34/10

When it comes to football, the most recent NFL champions are the most expensive team to be a fan of. The Philadelphia Eagles are the most expensive club to be a fan of, and in almost every aspect, the experience at Lincoln Financial Field is more expensive than that of most NFL teams.

Parking is also especially expensive near the stadium, with the average cost exceeding $55, more than $20 higher than the national average of $33

2. Chicago Bears: Overall score of 6.26/10

Soldier Field in Chicago has been the Bears' home since the 1970s, and a day out for fans watching their team here is one of the most expensive in the NFL.

It has been 40 years since the Bears won a Super Bowl, but that doesn’t stop them from being one of the most valuable teams in the league ($8.2 billion). The price of a hot dog is especially high in Chicago, with the price of $8 per dog being the joint highest nationally.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Overall score of 5.9/10

The Jaguars and Buccaneers round out the top three, with both of these Florida clubs achieving equal scores.

Even though the Jaguars have some of the cheapest general admission tickets in the NFL, at $102, $20 cheaper than the average NFL team. They rank highly because, once at the game, the cost of a beer will sting fans' wallets, as it is far more expensive than the national average. A $11.49 beer is almost $3 more than the average of $8.81.

Meanwhile, the Buccanears are expensive for fans in the opposite way, with high-priced tickets compared to some more affordable refreshments at the game. The recent Super Bowl champions charge $124.43 per ticket, around the National Average, and their $8 hot dogs and soft drinks are among the most expensive in the league.

The Cheapest Teams To Be A Fan Of

We’ve revealed the most expensive American sports teams to be a fan of, but what about the other end of the pricing spectrum? Not all teams charge sky-high fees for tickets and game-day extras…some have far more affordable prices.

1. Minnesota Twins: Overall score of 0.79/10

The Minnesota Twins, an MLB team, offer the cheapest full fan experience of any major US sports franchise. With an average day-out cost of $171.25, fans benefit from some of the lowest concession prices in the entire dataset: soft drinks at $1.99, hot dogs at $3.99, and beer at $4.99.

Affordable tickets ($33.89) and standard-priced jerseys also help make the Twins the best-value option for supporters across all leagues.

2. Miami Marlins: Overall score of 0.89/10

Another MLB team, the Miami Marlins, take second place, with a typical day costing $163.97. Fans pay among the lowest prices for food and drink: soft drinks and hot dogs both cost $3.00, while beer remains inexpensive at $5.00.

These affordable extras, combined with low general admission tickets ($22.98), mean the Marlins provide one of the most budget-friendly live sports experiences in North America.

3. FC Dallas: Overall score of 0.99/10

In third place is MLS team FC Dallas, which has an average day-out cost of just $147.85 – the lowest in absolute terms across all 151 teams studied.

Tickets ($22.86) are some of the cheapest in professional sport, and concessions such as beer ($5.00) and soft drinks ($4.00) fall well below national averages. Replica jerseys at $99.99 further reduce overall costs, making FC Dallas the most affordable MLS team for supporters.

Methodology

Spin Genie provides online slots in Ontario. As part of our team's ongoing interest in competitive sports such as football, baseball, basketball, and more, we wanted to explore how fans across America and beyond are experiencing the costs of supporting their favourite teams. The data for this study was compiled using the following methodology and sources:

Team valuations from Forbes data:

We used Team Marketing's Fan Cost Index to get the average ticket, beer, soft drink, parking, and hot dog prices for the NBA (2021-22 season), NFL (2023 season), NHL (2022-23 season), MLB (2023 season), and MLS (2022 season).

We used the official site of each team to find the cost of a replica jersey: