Sponsorship value depends on understanding not only how much fans spend, but why they spend and where financial pressure affects their decisions. Ally’s The Cost of Fandom surveyed 3,000 US sports fans across generations in September 2025. It examines their annual spending, budgeting, emotional connection and support for women’s sport. Download The Cost of Fandom report, here.
The Cost of Fandom Report: Key Takeaways
Fandom Creates Year-Round Sponsorship Value Opportunities – US fans surveyed reported taking part in an average of five activities each year to support their favourite teams, while 88% participated in at least one. These activities include watching at home, attending games, wearing team merchandise and engaging online. Fans also reported spending an average of $1,600 annually. This shows why audience insight matters when deciding which assets and fan behaviours a partnership should address.
High Spending Does Not Mean Fans Have Unlimited Budgets – More than half of the fans surveyed, 57%, admitted spending more on sport than they had planned during the year. In addition, 85% had no savings set aside specifically for sports and 44% had no dedicated sports budget. Nearly a quarter of Gen Z fans, 23%, and 19% of millennials had reduced spending elsewhere to continue supporting their favourite sports. Sponsors therefore have an opportunity to add value to the fan experience by improving affordability or access.
The Return From Fandom Is Emotional – When asked how spending money on sport made them feel, 43% of respondents selected happy, 39% selected excited and 30% selected connected. These figures describe the emotional response to spending rather than a financial return. Brands should therefore consider how their activation can strengthen entertainment, identity and community. Simply encouraging fans to spend more could feel disconnected from the pressures identified elsewhere in the report.
Women’s Sport Still Has a Spending Gap – Fans reported spending an average of $950 annually on men’s sports, compared with $500 on women’s sports. However, 22% said their spending on women’s sport had increased, and another 45% said it had remained stable. Men also reported spending more on women’s sport than women, averaging $600 compared with $400. This shows that the audience for women’s sports cannot be defined by gender alone.
What Does This Mean for Sponsorship Value?
The report shows that sponsorship value cannot be determined by audience size or total spending alone. Brands need to understand which fans are spending, what they purchase and why those purchases matter to them. Where fans are under financial pressure, benefits such as ticket access, travel offers, rewards, watch parties or merchandise collaborations may create more sponsorship value than additional brand exposure. As the research only covers US fans, brands should verify whether the same behaviours apply within their target markets and for the specific sports and rights holder audiences they are engaging with.
Need Help Turning Fan Insight Into Sponsorship Value?
If you need independent support understanding audiences, selecting properties or developing relevant activations to meet your business goals, Strive Sponsorship can help. As a leading sports sponsorship consultancy, we translate sponsorship research into practical commercial decisions.
Contact us for support identifying partners, structuring rights and creating activations that add genuine value to fans.
Frequently asked questions
How Much Does the Average American Sports Fan Spend Each Year?
According to Ally’s Cost of Fandom September 2025 survey, US sports fans reported spending an average of $1,600 each year to support their teams. Fans who described themselves as fanatical about at least one sport reported spending nearly $2,200. These figures include costs such as tickets, food and drink, merchandise, travel and digital access. They are self-reported averages, not a fixed amount spent by every fan.
Why Is Being a Sports Fan So Expensive?
The cost of fandom builds across multiple activities rather than coming from one purchase. Among the fans surveyed, 60% identified tickets as an area where they were likely to overspend, followed by food and drink at 54%, merchandise at 47% and travel at 36%. These percentages show how many respondents selected each category, not how much of their total spending went towards it.
How Can Sponsors Add Value for Sports Fans?
Sponsors can add value by solving a genuine problem or improving an existing fan experience. This could include making events more affordable, providing exclusive access, supporting watch parties, improving travel or creating useful rewards. The right approach depends on the brand, audience and partnership objectives.
