Photo by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
The NBA is the second-most popular sports league in the United States in virtually every measurable metric, trailing only the juggernaut that is the NFL. The NBA has become a global sport with millions of fans in virtually every corner of the globe. However, with that rise has come an exponential rise in cost for said fans.
The experts at Fadeaway World analyzed all 30 NBA teams to determine the most and least affordable teams for fans to follow. They determined their rankings by looking at the combined costs for tickets to a home game along with a team jersey, a 16-ounce beer, and a hot dog.
When the numbers were tallied, the Memphis Grizzlies came out on top as the most affordable team in the NBA, with games at FedExForum costing fans an average of $159.74 per game. The second most affordable was the Atlanta Hawks, with their games at State Farm Arena costing fans $164.38 on average.
Rounding out the top five most affordable teams were the New Orleans Pelicans ($166.62), Detroit Pistons ($182.38), and Portland Trailblazers ($184.87).
“It is interesting to see how drastically the average cost differs for fans of different NBA teams,” said Nemanja Vukasinovic, CEO of Fadeaway World. “By calculating the average cost of a home game ticket, a unisex jersey, and the cost of a beer and hot dog at each stadium, we can identify which team’s supporters can expect to shell out the most money this season.”
On the other end of the proverbial spectrum, the New York Knicks proved to be the most expensive team for fans to follow; games at Madison Square Garden cost fans an average of $334.74 to attend. The Golden State Warriors were second, with games at Chase Center costing $332.50. The Boston Celtics ($318.36), Los Angeles Lakers ($300.37), and Dallas Mavericks ($269.74) rounded out the top five for most expensive.
Photo by Brian O'Sullivan, Stadium Journey
“The Boston Celtics are currently at the top in the latest Power Rankings, reflecting their high cost to attend their games, whereas the Memphis Grizzlies are currently 27th, hence their lower cost for supporting fans,” explained Vukasnovic. “It would be fascinating to observe any changes in these current prices as a result of teams moving up or down in the Power Rankings.”
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