With Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its Super Bowl LVIII By The Numbers infographic together with its report on 2024’s Best and Worst Cities for Football Fans, as well as expert commentary.
To determine the best places for enjoying America’s favorite sport, WalletHub compared more than 240 U.S. cities with at least one college or professional football team based on 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from the number of NFL and college football teams to stadium capacity to fan engagement.
To view the full report, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-for-football-fans/9691
Best Cities for Football Fans
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was rated as the top city for football fans, followed by Dallas, TX; Green Bay, WI; Los Angeles, CA; Boston, MA; New York, NY; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; San Francisco, CA at number nine and, rounding out the top 10, Kansas City, Missouri.
Worst Cities for Football Fans
In the bottom 10 of the survey, the worst cities for football fans, Piscataway, New Jersey was at number 240, followed by Louisville, KY; Davidson, NC; Charleston, SC; Pine Bluff, AR; Fort Collins, CO; Waco, TX; Bloomington, IN; Valparaiso, IN; and at the bottom of the list, coming in at number 249 was Easton, Massachusetts.
Super Bowl LVIII By The Numbers
$6,680: The average cost of a ticket to the past five Super Bowls.
$8,586: Lowest price of a Super Bowl LVIII ticket on the resale market just after the conference championships (113 percent increase from 2023).
$1.1B: Estimated economic impact for the Southern Nevada economy in 2024.
16.2M: Americans plan to watch the game at a bar or restaurant.
192 percent: 20-year increase in the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad.
To see all the stats and the full infographic, visit: https://wallethub.com/blog/super-bowl-facts/1589
“Football fans are intensely loyal to their favorite teams, especially when a team comes from their hometown. Deciding the best football cities ultimately comes down to a combination of how successful the cities’ teams are, how easy it is for spectators to enjoy games, and how dedicated the local fanbase is,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst. “The best city for football fans is Pittsburgh, largely due to the success of its NFL team, the Steelers. The Steelers have won six Super Bowls, tied for the most wins with the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh has some of the most loyal and most engaged football fans in the country, too. Many fans gather to watch both NFL and NCAA games at Acrisure Stadium, which seats over 68,000 people.”
Expert Commentary
What are some strategies for fans to enjoy watching football (at home, in a bar, at the stadium) without breaking the bank?
“It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the game and in so doing we may be enticed to spend more freely than we had anticipated. So, when entertaining at home if you have a big group coming you might want to share the hosting costs by creating a potluck where other guests bring dishes to share. If catering yourself, take advantage of the sales that many of the grocery stores will hold in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Think about the number of people and buy accordingly, rather than having too many leftovers. If going out to a bar to watch the game, take advantage of any specials the bar may be offering on drinks and food. Also, sharing appetizers and larger portions will help spread the cost. But do not forget to save enough to tip your wait staff!”
Heather J Gibson, Ph.D. – Professor; Undergraduate Coordinator, Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management, University of Florida
Does hosting the Super Bowl economically help or hurt the host city?
“A Super Bowl creates an incredible economic impact for a city based on the number of unique visitors who come to the city for the event. The Super Bowl is no longer a sporting event but a social event. It is no longer a day, it is a week and the unique visitors extend beyond fans to include global media, vendors, and non-football stakeholders. It is an event that is used by major corporations for client entertainment and the NFL has done an amazing job of merging sport and entertainment into the event. It is an incredible commercial for the city for those who visit and for those who get to see the glamour shots of the city on the pregame shows all week to the day of the game.”
Dr. Matthew J. Robinson – Director of Community Engagement Initiative; Professor, University of Delaware
What are the biggest challenges facing professional football today?
“Professional football’s most significant challenges today include managing fan affordability regarding ticket prices, parking, food, and merchandise. The delivery of professional football is evolving towards streaming, but the cost to consumers may vary depending on the platform and subscription models adopted by leagues and broadcasters. Also, there are concerns about the increasing level of financial difficulties facing many franchises, as they are now often owned by wealthy individuals with no links to the community or the club’s history. The adoption of good governance practices can contribute to the professionalism of football clubs, increase their revenues, and decrease administrative problems.”
Jason C. Pappas, Ed.D. – Teaching Professor; Experiential Learning Coordinator, Department of Sport Management, Florida State University
