Sports Costs VS Joy

Tickets to see your favourite sports team can often come with a high price tag, and with season ticket prices on the increase, it's only going to get more expensive. However, for the most loyal fans, this is only a small price to pay to experience the joy of cheering their team to victory.  

But which fans are getting the biggest return on investment for their tickets? OLBG has looked into ticket prices, the number of games and trophies won and the demand for tickets to create an index of the teams bringing their fans the most joy for the lowest price.     

The teams bringing fans the most joy for the cheapest price 

1. Atlanta Braves (Baseball) - 8.83 / 10 Sport joy score

Taking the top spot as the team that brings their fans the most joy for the cheapest price are the Atlanta Braves. With a fan joy score of 8.94/10, thanks to the average ticket costing $58 (£44 or €53), tickets for the Major League Baseball team based in Georgia are some of the most sought-after in the index, as they rank in the top five for this factor.

2. San Francisco Giants (Baseball) - 7.71 / 10 Sport joy score

In second place is another MLB team, the San Francisco Giants with a fan joy score of 7.95/10. This is thanks mainly to the high demand for tickets from fans, as it scores in the top three for this factor. Tickets for Giants games usually set fans back $62 (£47 or €56). 

3. Dallas Cowboys (American football) - 7.65 / 10 Sport joy score

The highest-ranking NFL team in the index, The Dallas Cowboys comes next, scoring 7.90/10 in the index. The Texan football team has some of the most in-demand tickets in the index, taking second place for the factor with over 597,000 searches in 2021. Tickets for the Dallas Cowboys sell for an average of $100 (£76 or €91), which puts them in 85th place on the list for the factor. 

The teams with the lowest ticket prices 

1. Florida Panthers (Ice hockey) - $37 (£28/€34)

Taking the top spot as the team with the lowest ticket prices is the Florida Panthers. The ice hockey team based in Miami charges fans an average of $37 (£28/€34) to see them play, more than 28 times less than the most expensive ticket. The Panthers have only won three titles in their 29 years as a team, and only made one appearance in the Stanley Cup finals and this lack of success could explain their low ticket prices.

2. Memphis Grizzlies (Basketball) - $41 (£31/€38)

The Memphis Grizzlies take second place with the average ticket costing fans $41 (£31 or €38). The basketball team, originally established in Vancouver before moving to the US in 2001, is one of the youngest teams in the NBA and is yet to win an NBA championship or Most Valued Player. This means only the most dedicated fans would be interested in the team, keeping ticket prices low.  

3. Arizona Coyotes (Ice hockey) - $50 (£38/€45)

In third is the second NHL team in the index, the Arizona Coyotes. The Phoenix-based team charges an average of $50 (£38 or €45) a ticket to their games. Being based in Arizona, an area without much interest in ice hockey, the Coyotes fail to draw large crowds and this lack of demand could explain their cheap prices. 

The teams with the most titles 

1. New York Yankees (Baseball) - 95 titles

Taking the top spot as the team with the most titles is the New York Yankees with a whopping 95 titles. The Major League Baseball team based in the Bronx has won 27 world titles since their move to New York in 1913 and is one of the most successful sports teams in North America, winning more titles than any other team in the four main leagues.    

2. Los Angeles Lakers (Basketball) - 69 titles

Taking second place is the Los Angeles Lakers with 69, making the team just one title shy of second place. The Lakers are the most successful basketball team in the index, tying with the Boston Celtics for championship titles at 17 but taking the top spot thanks to their conference titles. They also boast some of the most successful players in the history of the sport, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.   

3. Boston Celtics (Basketball) - 57 titles

Coming next are the LA Lakers rivals the Boston Celtics, with 57 titles taking them to third place. As one of the original 8 teams in the NBA the Greens are recognised as one of the most successful in the league, tying with the Lakers for the most championship wins at an astonishing 17, 8 of these being consecutive wins. 

The teams with the highest percentage of games won per season

1. Pittsburgh Penguins/Colorado Avalanche (Ice hockey) - 78.6%

Two NHL teams share the top spot for games won per season with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche both winning 78.6% of their games in the most recent season. The Pennsylvania-based Penguins currently possess two of the best players in the sport, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, so it's no surprise they take the top spot. It’s also not surprising that the Avalanches share the top spot, winning the President’s Trophy in the 2020-21 season for the best overall record, winning 39 matches. 

3. Los Angeles Rams (American football) - 76.2%

The Los Angeles Rams take third place, winning 76.2% of their games in the most recent regular season. The NFL team recently claimed their second Super Bowl victory, thanks to a 12-5 record and NFC championship win.  

The teams with the highest demand for tickets 

1. Dallas Cowboys (American football) - 597,200 annual searches

The Dallas Cowboys come first with 597,200 searches in 2021. Famous internationally as “America’s team” the Cowboys developed this reputation and popularity with 20 consecutive winning seasons between 1966 and 1985, cementing it in the 1990s with three Super Bowl wins in four years. 

2. San Francisco Giants (Baseball) - 582,500 annual searches

Taking second are the San Francisco Giants. Searches for tickets for the Bay Area baseball team reached 582,500 in 2021, which could be down to their stellar 2020-21 season winning 107 games, a franchise record and the best in the league. 

3. Atlanta Braves (Baseball) - 485,200 annual searches 

In third are the Atlanta Braves with 485,200 searches in 2021. The team is incredibly popular throughout the American south, thanks to their legacy of 11 consecutive division title wins from 1995 to 2005, and the lack of major league teams in the region. 

Methodology

We analysed each team from the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL on the following factors, before giving each team a normalized score out of ten for each factor.

Finally, we took an average across each of these scores to reach our final overall score out of ten.

Ticket price 

Average ticket price for the most recent season available, according to Statista.

% Games Won Per Season

The percentage of games won in the 2021-22 season for the NFL and the 2020-21 season for the NBA, MLB and NHL according to TeamRankings. Statmuse was used for the NHL. 

Ticket Searches 

The number of searches in 2021 for "[team] tickets" according to Google Ads Keyword Planner.

Titles won

The number of trophies and titles won since the team was founded according to each team’s website.

Currencies were converted on 06/04/2022 according to Google Finance.