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Sports fans hoping to follow their favorite teams throughout the season may face steep prices as the cost of streaming services increases, but attending those games in person may be even less cost-effective.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last month, citing data collected from the Consumer Price Index program, that attendance at sporting events increased 123% from 2000. In addition to rising admission costs over the past 25 years, fans will pay for concessions and transportation and, although not a necessity, merchandise.
Kansas City Chiefs fans do the Tomahawk Chop during the first quarter of an NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs on October 16, 2022 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Rising ticket costs are also affected by the secondary market, which can include a number of additional fees. Late. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., thinks something needs to be done.
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“The Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over professional amateur sports and the kind of transactions you’re talking about with Ticketmaster and the like,” he said during a recent appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich,” when asked about the rising ticket prices.
“So, I’ve got legislation. We’ve got to get rid of these – people don’t really know where all the fees come from [from] and have greater transparency.
“Kid Rock was in a hearing earlier this year that this issue was brought up because yes, consumers are kind of being ripped off. I mean, you want a marketplace where people can have access to tickets, but a lot of acts are kind of taking advantage of people wanting to see their teams, and a lot of hidden fees in the secondary market are added and people don’t know what they are.”
Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri, during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 16, 2024. (Al Drago/Getty)
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Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, spoke at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in January to argue that ticket prices are forcing fans into expensive resale markets and that the legislation falls short.
“You just ask anybody these days to buy a ticket to a popular sporting event or concert and they’ll tell you it’s a complete failure,” he said during an appearance on “America Reports.”
Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, arrives to testify at a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee hearing on January 28, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, the FCC announced last month that it would seek public comment on the ongoing shift of live sports from broadcast channels to streaming services. The move comes as NFL, NBA, MLB and other major sports have moved many games from broadcast and cable television to streaming services.
