• Home
• About Us
  • Awards
• Ads Info
• Past issues
  • 2007 Past Issues
  • 2008 Past Issues
• Extras
  • Blogs
  • Election 2008 Coverage
  • Subscribe to HiLite Online
• Sports Stats
• Contact

Economic crisis affects sports fans

By Lily Zhao
<lzhao@hilite.org>

The slumping economy and dropping stock market have affected millions of people in the United States, especially the average sports fan. With ticket prices sky-rocketing and investment plans dropping, fans are not packing the stadiums like they used to. Instead, those same “Joe SixPacks” who were once cheering on their respective teams in the stands a decade ago, are now being relegated to the couch.

But even through tough economic times, many leagues are being affected in diverse ways. According to CNN.com and Sportsillustrated.com, the NHL and NBA are trying to keep their ticket prices affordable, while the NFL and college football teams have some of the highest priced tickets. Fortunately for NCAA football, its fans are extremely loyal to their teams (schools like Texas, Ohio State and Florida come to mind), making the sport recession-proof. However, high school sports and NASCAR have felt the economic slump more than most.

In college football, over 17 million fans have attended a Division I-A game this season, setting a NCAA record; but, that doesn’t quell the fact that rising fuel, equipment and plane ticket costs have made it a travel nightmare for smaller teams, especially the teams in the geographically diverse Western Athletic Conference (WAC)—members range from Hawaii to Idaho—where, for example, the Hawaii Warriors spent over $300,000 just to fly to California to play. Not only are smaller schools affected, but this slump has affected the nation’s richest athletic department: Ohio State. According to newyorktimes.com, the Buckeyes had to chock up over $340,000 to play the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Also, many Georgia Bulldog fans could not attend the match-up between the Alabama Crimson Tide because there wasn’t enough gas available in Georgia. But fortunately for some athletic directors, loyal fans at larger universities are paying for their expenses with $500-1000 tickets. However, the bowl games at the end of the season are seeing a lower turnout in recent years, for if there is not enough attraction to a certain bowl game, fans will not be willing to travel, prompting many sports commissioners to think if they should choose teams physically closer to that bowl destination.

Similarly, NFL fans are outraged by the fact that many tickets are so overpriced—a ridiculous $25,000 can purchase season tickets in New York—that only higher-end customers can afford to see games live. Looking back two decades, the same families who once attended the games are now watching them from flat screen TVs at home. But consider the NFL season-ticket holder. For many teams, waiting lists for season tickets stretch for miles, but thanks to dropping stock prices, fans have a decision to make. For example, many New York Jets fans who have been tailgating for decades, now ponder whether they should buy the one-time PSLs (around $1,667 for a seat) just so that they can buy tickets (an increase of $120 a seat, up from $80 this year) and a required parking pass ($20). And at this point, fans simply don’t have a choice.

If the economy doesn’t recover soon, the executives of most sports will have to contemplate whether or not its worth having advertisements, season tickets and naming rights at games. But in the meantime, loyal fans will be stuck at home while corporate big wigs will be watching games in their overpriced, overpaid luxury boxes. Lily Zhao is a sports editor for the HiLite. Contact her at lzhao@hilite.org.

Multimedia/Links »

Photo of the Day

PERFECT PRACTICE: Freshman Jeff Hou watches freshman Ray Qian practice on the piano in the orchestra room on Dec. 12 during 7th period. They frequently practice in preparation for future playing tests and performances. ARJUNA CAPULONG / PHOTO

View more photos >

Photo Essays

Cross Country State Meet - VICTORIOUS RUN: In Head Coach Chuck Koeppen's final season, the men's and women's cross-country capture both State titles, sending him off as a winner. NICK JOHNSON / PHOTOS

View more photos >