Have you ever felt priced out of a game, let down by a score, or perhaps joyously satisfied with your team's performance? You're not alone. Recently, The Action Network surveyed 3,156 NBA diehards across the U.S.
We explored pressing questions around fan pricing, emotional highs and lows, and overall satisfaction with their teams. So grab some popcorn (popcorn prices still aren't rising, are they?) and let's peek into the world of NBA fandom!
Key questions included:
- Do fans feel they’re being priced out of attending games?
- On average, how much do you spend going to watch a game in person?
- How often do fans feel let down by their team?
- How satisfied are fans with their team's performance over the past five years?
Do You Think Your NBA Team Has Been Pricing Out Fans?
In the land of astronomical ticket prices and courtside dreams, a significant 49% of NBA fans believe their teams are, indeed, pricing them out — a far cry from courtside glory. Meanwhile, 25% feel the ticket prices are manageable, leaving 26% unsure if they should commit to their couch crew or save up for the nosebleeds.
| Do You Think Your NBA Team Has Been Pricing Out Fans? | Fan Response (%) |
| Yes | 49% |
| No | 25% |
| I don’t know | 26% |
Among the loudest voices, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, and Cleveland Cavaliers fans expressed the strongest concerns, feeling priced out more than other fans. On the flip side, Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Hornets fans seem to find ticket prices somewhat fairer.
Matt Moore, senior NBA writer at The Action Network commented on the above:
The NBA has long struggled with accurately pricing its games. There are fewer seats than NFL or MLB games. But in placing the pricing where they have, they’ve also removed a lot of the kind of atmosphere you want if you attend a game. This is one of the biggest issues for the NBA; their games are treated as luxury experiences when sporting events should be rowdy affairs.
Beyond tickets, they struggle with creating atmospheres with places for families with kids to go mid-game, and their concession stands often operate on two extremes: gourmet foodie fares or standard, bland arena hot dogs and fries.
The NBA needs to reinvent its live product, which this data shows, and pricing has to be part of that equation.
On Average, How Much Do You Spend Going to Watch a Game In-Person?
Toronto Raptors supporters are at the high end of the spectrum, with 38% of fans spending over $500 for that courtside experience. The New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz follow closely, with 32% and 30% of their fans, respectively, ready to make it rain on game day.
On the flip side, teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers have a more budget-friendly crowd, with only 8% of fans spending over $500, proving that even die-hard Lakers fans sometimes save more than they splurge.
Matt Moore gave his thoughts on these spending statistics:
It’s notable that only 18% of fans that attend Nets games spend more than $500 despite being in New York. The Nets might want to stop trying to market themselves as the fancy elite team and instead aim for being more of the blue collar squad.
The Rockets might be doing the best job of making games have value. Forty percent of their fans responding are spending less than $100, but the arena has easy access to drinks and food while fielding a largely competitive team over the past two decades.
How on earth are the majority of fans in New Orleans spending over $300? I guess if you love the Pels enough to subject yourself to their misery, you might as well have a good time while you’re there.
Interestingly, the Milwaukee Bucks boast the highest percentage of budget-conscious fans, with 47% spending less than $100. It seems the Bucks faithful are savvy savers, or perhaps just really enjoying those affordable snacks!
On a Scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always), How Often Do You Feel Let Down by Your Team?
That perpetual love-hate relationship with your favorite team — where would we be without it? Fans scored their letdown levels, and it's interesting to note that 37% admitted to moderate levels of disappointment. With 8% feeling always and 29% saying they sometimes feel let down, it appears that a rollercoaster of emotions is all part of being an NBA fan.
On the other side, 31% of NBA fans feel rarely or never let down by their team.
| NBA Fans: How Often Do You Feel Let Down by your Team? | Fan Response (%) |
| 1 (Never) | 8% |
| 2 (Rarely) | 23% |
| 3 (Neutral) | 33% |
| 4 (Sometimes) | 29% |
| 5 (Always) | 8% |
Teams like the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz see a higher number of fans in the "sometimes" to "always" disappointed range. In contrast, fans of the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics have fewer grumbles, possibly thanks to recent success stories.
Maybe Washington Wizards fans have become used to the status quo of their team, as they topped the rankings for fans who are never or rarely let down!
Moore noted:
For 57 percent of Bulls fans to feel neutral or not let down shows you how much ownership has left an iconic franchise into irrelevance. That’s a passionate sports town with the franchise of Michael Jordan, and Bulls fans are mostly fine with their middling success.
For the Pacers to have made the playoffs over 70 percent of the time over the last four decades and 45 percent of fans to be disappointed shows you how high standards can be, even in small markets.
On the GSW data, Moore commented, "earmark the Warriors fans’ highest level of satisfaction and then come back to it five years after Steph retires."
On a Scale of 1 (Very Satisfied) to 5 (Very Disappointed), How Satisfied Are You With Your Team’s Performance Over the Past 5 Years?
Unsurprisingly, satisfaction levels ranged from pure contentment to evident frustration. Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers fans seem to be basking in team glory (?) with over 70% satisfaction. However, for those following the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers, there's a sense of despondency, marked by higher disappointment scores.
The San Antonio Spurs emerge with a whopping 43% sitting at neutral, hinting at a patient yet cautious outlook from fans looking to the future.
One would have thought current champions Oklahoma City Thunder would be sitting at the top of the satisfaction index; however, they rank fourth overall.
"Fifty-four percent of Lakers fans are satisfied with having LeBron James and not making the Finals except once, in the Bubble," Moore observed. "You’d think the standards would be higher."
On 76ers fans ranking as the most dissatisfied, Moore wrote: "I didn’t need this study to know Sixers fans would be the most dissatisfied."
Finally, commenting on the surprisingly high satisfaction among Raptors fans, Moore remarked: "I’ve often compared Raptors fans to the Whos down in Whoville from Dr. Seuss. Their 73 percent approval rating here reinforces that, even as the team has slid into irrelevance. Keep singing, Whos!"
Methodology
The research was carried out by One8Y and was conducted between July 7, 2025, and July 10, 2025. The sample comprises 3,156 NBA fans across the United States of America.
The raw data can be found here.
This data was meant to inform and entertain NBA fans and bettors alike. If you're an NBA fan or bettor, take some time to check out our Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code and Fanatics Sportsbook Promo reviews!
