Nearly half of sports fans have gone into debt for their fandom, and almost one in four are currently carrying sports-related debt.
Football is driving much of the spending, with 55% of fans saying NFL and college football account for at least half their sports budget.
Set a season spending cap before kickoff, including tickets, streaming, merchandise, betting, food, and other game-day costs.
Football season is almost here, and if you're already eyeing tickets, considering NFL Sunday Ticket, or shopping for a new jersey, you might want to check your bank account first.
A new National Debt Relief survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers found 47% of sports fans have gone into debt to support their fandom, and nearly one in four are currently carrying sports-related debt. Even more concerning, one-third say spending on sports causes financial stress for their household.
And we're not talking pocket change.
Nearly three in 10 sports fans expect to spend more than $1,000 on sports in 2026, while one-third expect to spend between $250 and $499.
With football season arriving, those expenses could accelerate. Fifty-five percent of fans say NFL and college football will account for at least half of their sports spending.
Here are some ways to keep your fandom from becoming a financial problem.
Figure out what your team actually costs you
The problem with sports spending is that it rarely arrives as one big bill.
There are your streaming packages, fantasy league entry fees, tickets, parking, concessions, merchandise, betting, and money spent watching games with friends.
Individually, each expense might seem manageable. But when you combine them over an entire season, it can get surprisingly expensive.
Try this: Look at what you spent on sports last season (approximately) and divide that number by 12. Then decide whether that monthly amount still makes sense for your budget.
Give yourself a season salary cap
NFL teams have salary caps they adhere to, and your household probably needs one as well.
Decide how much money you want to reasonably spend before the season officially kicks off, without carrying a credit card balance.
For example, if your limit is $600 for the season, you might choose between attending one expensive game or several cheaper experiences rather than buying tickets impulsively.
Once the money is gone, consider your spending to be done.
Don't finance your fandom
One particularly interesting finding from the survey: Sports ranks fifth among things Americans say they'd be willing to go into debt for, behind travel, gifts, shopping, and eating out. Twenty percent said they'd consider taking on debt for sports.
That's a good place to draw a financial line.
Tickets and jerseys obviously aren't emergency purchases. So if you're putting them on a credit card you can't pay off, the interest can make an already expensive game or merch purchase way more expensive.
The survey also found Buy Now, Pay Later is becoming more popular for sports purchases among younger consumers. But before using BNPL, ask yourself a simple question: Would I still buy this if I had to pay the entire price today?
Pick your splurge
You don't have to stop spending money on sports. Instead, decide what actually matters most to you.
If attending games is your thing, consider cutting back on merchandise or streaming packages. If you love watching every game from home, perhaps skip expensive tickets.
Spreading money across every part of fandom is how a manageable hobby can quietly become a four-figure expense.
The consumer takeaway
Sports are supposed to be entertainment, not another monthly bill causing financial stress.
And with 62% of Americans spending money on sports and 29% of fans expecting to spend at least $1,000 this year, it's worth knowing your number before kickoff.
Create one sports budget that includes everything like tickets, streaming, merchandise, betting, fantasy leagues, food and parking. If you can't pay for it without carrying debt, your team just exceeded your salary cap.