This is how much fans are willing to spend on football

According to a study by Experian, football fans will spend an average of $743 on games and related items (including pro, college, and high school).

Most survey respondents said they'll probably spend about the same amount that they did during the 2022 football season, though there's evidence more fans will be playing financial defense in 2023 versus last year. Nearly a third of those we asked (32%) said they'll be spending less this season.

Cutting back is understandable: Although overall inflation has subsided to 3.7% as of August 2023, according to the consumer price index, admission to sporting events have climbed by 7.2% over the same period. Adding to the financial pressure, credit card interest rates have climbed to an average above 22% APR.

About 1 in 5 (21%) said they anticipate that they'll overspend on football this year, with 12% of fans saying they're likely to go into debt this season to finance their football fandom.

Believe it or not, some fans say they've gone into debt for the sport in the past, and a few admitted that spending on football has had a negative effect on their credit score. That’s some overzealous fandom.

In a separate Experian survey of 3,200 consumers fielded in August, 1 in 5 football fans said they'd be willing to take on a $5,000 debt to get to see their team win a championship this year. A higher percentage, 33%, would sign up for a different football bargain: They would eliminate their outstanding debt in exchange for their favorite NFL team not winning a championship for another 20 years.

Wow, I love football (college and pro), but there is no way I would go into debt for a team, much less, $5000!

I’ll watch from my couch.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.

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