Itâs a universal experience to sit through family conversations of the âgood old daysâ, where the older generations reminisce on how the world used to be twenty-so odd years ago and make subtle digs at how our generations donât understand just how good they used to have it at our age. For my family, those trips down memory lane tend to revolve around sports. My family are die hard football fans (for different teams, so imagine how well match nights go down for them), and their annoyance at no longer having the funds to watch the games in person is a sentiment shared by many sports fans.
When the Super Bowl came around and fans were asked in Tiktok interviews how much they spent on tickets, I was stunned. Upwards of $5,000 per person? For some, thatâs near enough a monthly salary and for others, itâs a life-changing amount of money. All to be spent watching a 15 minute concert with a side of American football?
Itâs almost absurd for me to justify spending such a large amount of money on attending a single game. One game, not even for the season?! Personally, Iâd rather pay ÂŁ40 a month to watch football and F1 with an undoubtedly better view from my laptop than hear the cash leaving my account as I pay for a ticket to the Silverstone Grand Prix. However, itâs easy to understand that fans are likely paying more for the experience of the event, revelling in the camaraderie of others, and crossing an experience off their bucket list.
We still have to ask ourselves: can the experience justify that high a price? The paywall to watch sports on television already provides a barrier for some sports fans, with the cost of a TV licence already being off-putting. Combined with the expense of streaming services, especially in a financially taxing time, itâs unsurprising that many want to avoid the financial burden of being a fan.
The increasingly commercialised nature of all sports has created a ripple effect on fan attendance and loyalty. Consider football, undoubtedly Englandâs favourite sport. Itâs woven into national and individual identity, a love that runs so deep it connects people from all walks of life. Yet, from club merchandise, to season tickets to travel expenses, the piling costs of being a fan is increasingly hard to ignore and many sacrifice their loyalty to the club by attending fewer matches in the game of financial responsibility. If we think watching football from the comfort of our homes is expensive, how about getting an up close view of the game in the stadium? Now thatâs a luxury only some can afford.
Whilst sport has always been viewed as a source of economic growth, the investments of larger corporations and social media has unmasked sportâs potential to boost market value for both athletes and teams. Commercialisation of football, ranging from endorsement deals and athletes taking on the role of ambassadors for major brands, has brought in a new influx of fans including a new category of spectators – influencers.
Whilst brands become increasingly involved in major sporting events, these corporations have also tuned in to the power of social media and the influencers whose content can gain even more traction to the event. Thus begins the alienation of fans, who question the disconnect with their favourite teams as they watch prices rise and fan attendance fall. Invitations are extended to influencers who may use the sport as an opportunity to grow their fanbase, whilst the loyal fans are sidelined with an overpriced ticket system.
Of course, we canât disregard the impact of social media and commercialisation on the growing fanbase for sports. Since the release of Netflixâs Drive to Survive, Formula 1âs popularity is ever-growing with some nicknaming the show as motorsportâs version of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. However, it also opens up a divide between âtraditional fansâ and the âDTS fansâ, with some of the former having hostile views towards those they perceive to be as unaware of the intricacies of motorsport.
Are we watching the collapse of sportâs core values? For decades, sport has embodied the culture of loyalty, connection and passion. With the increasing involvement of brands and social media, we witness the emergence of fan divides and alienation, an antithesis to how sports has always been envisioned for communities. As sports culture becomes intertwined with influencer and social media culture, we have to navigate the terrain of evolving values within sport and question whether commercialisation will catalyse the downfall of fan loyalty and passion.