U.S. sports fans spend about $2,000 a year on their favorite teams—many find themselves in debt as a result — CNBC

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

U.S. sports fans spend about $2,000 a year on their favorite teams—many find themselves in debt as a result — CNBC | AIPROPX

Americans love sports — so much so that that many are spending hundreds or thousands of dollars a year to show their fandom.

Nearly two-thirds (62%) of Americans have spent or expect to spend money on sports fandom in 2026, including tickets, merchandise and betting on games, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 adults from National Debt Relief , a debt settlement firm. Annually, sports fans spend an average of $1,970, the survey finds, with the figure rising to $2,224 among men.

Plenty of fans say it's worth it. CNBC Make It spoke with several soccer fans in July who spent thousands of dollars to see the World Cup. Some even said they'd do it again.

But some fans are taking on debt to support their teams. Of the folks who spend money on sports, 47% have gone into debt to fund their purchases, NDR finds. That share is even higher, at 62% of sports fans ages 25 to 34, who spend an average of $2,627 a year.

For many people, that spending "feels essential," even though it could be putting them in a difficult financial position, says Cathleen Bell, vice president of customer research and insights at National Debt Relief. Because of the emotional attachments and sense of community associated with sports, spending on them often "doesn't feel discretionary."

Here's why Americans' sports spending is spiking and what financial pros say to do if you find yourself overspending on your favorite teams.

Many Americans believe some discretionary spending categories are worth going into debt , and that includes sports-related purchases. NDR finds 20% of U.S. adults would be willing to go into debt for their fandom.

For some, that could be related to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like getting tickets to see the Olympics or watching the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, even if tickets cost thousands of dollars.

"There's people who are making those passion plays for their team," says Bell.

The cost of fandom has gone up for more casual sports-watchers, too. To catch all of your team's games, you may have to pay hundreds of dollars per season for various streaming platforms — those services were the most popular sports spending category per NDR's survey.

"I think 20 years ago, you could be a sports fan and all you needed was an antenna on your roof," says Bell.

Fans who go further and spend on the likes of jerseys and fantasy league dues may feel those expenses are worth stretching their budget, Bell says, especially among those who "are more kind of emotional about their identity attachments."

Rooting for a team with fellow fans can give individuals a sense of belonging, allowing them to express themselves and meet new people, Bell says. That may help explain why younger adults spend more on sports and are more likely to think their favorite teams are worth the debt.

From a financial wellness perspective, it may be easy to say, don't spend money you don't have on something as technically unnecessary as sports. Bell says in her experience, people aren't getting into dangerous levels of debt spending on sports alone. More often, they take on debt they assume they can manage and then something else happens like a job loss, medical expense or other costly emergency .

"Suddenly you're ballooning that debt, and then it's very difficult [to get out]," she says.

Generally, financial planners say that spending money on sports — or any hobby you value — isn't a bad thing. But entertainment spending shouldn't come at the expense of financial goals, such as paying down debt or saving for retirement, says Andrew Lendnal, head of financial wellness at Wealthspire , a wealth management firm.

"Once you've got your financial priorities and they're being met, and you've got that discretionary spending, then that's a healthy part of financial life," he says. "The issue is when entertainment starts competing with your financial foundations."

Lendnal says a smart way to manage your sports spending is to set a limit for yourself that works within your overall budget. But know that many people struggle to stick to that limit when they get caught up in the excitement of a game. For that reason, he encourages sports fans to set spending guardrails, such as bringing a certain amount of cash to a game or designating a card with a limit for sports-related purchases.

Additionally, it's important for individuals to always aim to have some emergency savings set aside, even if they're working on paying off debt, says Cassandra Rupp, a senior wealth advisor and certified financial planner at Vanguard. And if you go through your savings for a true emergency or otherwise, it's wise to prioritize building that back up again, she says.

Once you've gone into debt, it "tends to snowball," Rupp says. Not only does interest accumulate on the what you owe, but you may be tempted to keep spending if you're already over budget, she says. But that can become increasingly troublesome, especially if you run into an emergency that sends you further into debt.

Instead, Rupp recommends reducing or pausing your discretionary spending until you have a plan to get back on track with your emergency savings built up and debt paid down. While it may seem like a good idea to throw all of your extra money at high-interest debt, she warns against sacrificing your emergency savings to do that, so aim to balance meeting your minimum payments while stacking your savings until you're in a good place to focus on the debt.

While many of the sports fans NDR surveyed felt like their teams were worth taking on debt, Bell says their clients talk frequently about the stress debt causes in their lives. Making a plan and getting help from a financial planner or debt relief organization if necessary to get out of that debt can relieve that stress and bring you real joy — which, let's be honest, is more than many fans can say about their favorite teams in a given season.

"People really care about sports — it's connected to their identity, li...