The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index for admission to sporting events increased 132% from the 2000 annual average of 178.9 to the 2023 annual average of 415.8.[1][2]

Fans attending live events incur additional costs beyond tickets, including concessions, transportation and merchandise, potentially making in-person viewing more expensive than streaming despite increases in subscription fees for services carrying sports content.

Ticket prices on secondary markets often include substantial fees. U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., advocated for legislation to improve transparency on such fees during an appearance on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" podcast.[3]

Musician Kid Rock, whose legal name is Robert James Ritchie, criticized ticket price gouging and resale market practices during an appearance on Fox News' "America Reports," referencing consumer challenges in purchasing tickets for sports and concerts.[4]

The Federal Communications Commission announced on September 20, 2024, that it is seeking public comment on the migration of live sports programming from broadcast and cable television to streaming platforms by leagues including the NFL, NBA and MLB.[2][3] Initial comments are due by November 4, 2024, with reply comments by December 2, 2024.

Sources

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index - All Urban Consumers for Admission to Sporting Events (CUUR0000SE0G), accessed October 2024, https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SE0G
2. Fox Business, Spectator sports prices skyrocket 10% over past year as inflation cools, February 13, 2024, https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/sports-ticket-prices-skyrocket-past-year-inflation-cools
3. Federal Communications Commission, FCC Seeks Comment on Competitive Effects of Video Streaming in the Market, September 20, 2024, https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-comment-competitive-effects-video-streaming-market
4. Outkick, Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich - Senator Eric Schmitt on Ticketmaster Fees and Legislation, September 2024, https://www.outkick.com/dont-at-me