For basketball fans, the months from April to June are sacred. The NBA playoffs transform their beloved sport from a nightly routine into a spectacle—one which culminates in the NBA Finals, where the league’s biggest stars and strongest teams compete on its brightest stage. But this year, the Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs became more than just a chance to return home with the Larry O’Brien championship trophy—they evolved into a cultural event, attracting celebrities, politicians, influencers, and brands eager to participate. This year’s playoffs saw actor Timothée Chalamet and director Spike Lee following the Knicks across the country and becoming a courtside fixture at Madison Square Garden. President Donald Trump (W ’68)’s attendance at Game 3 of the finals underscored just how high—profile the event had become. Beyond showcasing the basketball unfolding on the court, the series turned into a showing of the figures sitting courtside.
For fans hoping to attend these games in person, the cost of participation, from tickets to merchandise, climbed rapidly. While basketball remains one of the United States’ most renowned sports, the experience of being a fan has come to resemble a luxury good.
As ticket prices reach new heights and watching games requires more effort than in decades past, it’s worth asking: Is sports fandom starting to become something mostly for the wealthy?
For Rob DiGisi, a lecturer in Wharton’s Legal Studies and Business Ethics department who has worked in the sports industry for close to four decades—including a stint with the NBA from March 1995 to November 1998—the answer is complicated.
“[The] live experience is something that’s in great demand in general,” DiGisi said. “People buy experiences rather than things.”
The NBA Finals shift the sport from a simple basketball game into a cultural event. As expected with any product that has a limited supply and overwhelming demand, prices start to rise.
NBA Arenas, such as Madison Square Garden and the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, can hold between 18,000 and 20,000 fans, and many of those seats are already reserved through season–ticket programs and corporate partnerships. The tickets that remain go on sale for fans who are willing to spend extraordinary amounts of money for what could be a once–in–a–lifetime experience.
“Sports is in a great position,” DiGisi said. “When supply and demand and a lot of discretionary income is in the marketplace, you’re going to see a surge in prices.”
This year’s playoff run by the Knicks is a great example of this. New York has not made it to the NBA Finals since 1999 and hasn’t won a championship since 1973. In a city filled with wealthy residents and enthusiastic fans, demand naturally increases. Finals tickets soared into the thousands, while courtside seats climbed beyond what most fans could afford, becoming the place to be for celebrities, executives, and the ultra–rich.
According to Vivid Seats, the cheapest ticket for Game 3 of the NBA Finals cost nearly $4,000. The entry–level price on the secondary market sat at $8,000 in early June.
In a pre–game interview, Knicks guard–forward Josh Hart shared his thoughts on the intense prices.
“I wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are. A lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time, unfortunately, aren’t able to get into the building. $7K, $8K is ridiculous.”
This same pricing extends beyond just admission. Fans often spend hundreds of dollars on jerseys, team apparel, concessions, and travel. For supporters following their team through an entire playoff run, the price of airfare and hotels across cities can quickly begin to match the price of a ticket to the game.
As the cost of attendance continues to rise, many fans have turned to alternative ways to keep up with the sport they love. Technology, in many ways, has made it possible to participate from virtually anywhere.
The rise of popularity for sports betting and prediction market apps has added a new way to consume sports and encouraged fans to stay engaged in the action. Platforms such as DraftKings and FanDuel have created new ways for people to interact with games, while simultaneously generating new revenue streams for not only leagues and their partners but also the players themselves.
In 2021, the NBA announced that DraftKings and FanDuel would become its co–official sports betting partners. In the story published to their website, Scott Kaufman-Ross, executive vice president of media distribution and partnerships, stated, “DraftKings and FanDuel sit at the center of the continued convergence between media and sports betting and together, we are excited to bring these unique content experiences to our fans.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA all–star and two–time MVP, announced in February that he would be partnering with prediction–marketing platform Kalshi as a shareholder, only signifying the increased normalization of the sports betting industry and motivation for fans to get involved.
“It gives people another reason to watch,” DiGisi said. Even fans with no personal connection to a team, such as those in small market areas, become invested in the outcome of games after placing a wager.
The business of sports has never been larger. While the live experience is becoming more exclusive, the digital experience has expanded dramatically.
When DiGisi worked for the NBA in the 1990s, fans largely engaged with basketball through televised games, SportsCenter highlights, newspaper coverage, and sports radio shows. Today, fans can follow every aspect of a team through social media, podcasts, Reddit forums, YouTube channels, and streaming platforms.
“The way when I was at the NBA, you engaged by watching, you know, the last 10 minutes of the evening news,” DiGisi said. “Now, there’s a different online community to go back and forth about the game, the team, the players, whatever element you want to discuss.”
The league itself has embraced this shift. Through personalized marketing, social media campaigns, and subscription services—such as NBA League Pass—teams are able to connect with fans more directly than ever before. This accessibility, however, comes with its own costs. Fans find themselves juggling cable subscriptions, streaming services, and league–specific packages simply to watch the teams they love.
At the start of the 2025–26 season, league commissioner Adam Silver was asked about the rising cost to watch an entire season of NBA games as a fan, to which he said that fans can consume the sport in other ways besides just watching games, by calling basketball a “highlight–based sport.”
It can be hard to grapple with the fact that sports have arguably never been more accessible and more expensive all at once.
A fan who may not be able to afford a Finals ticket can still participate in online conversations, watch highlights as they’re posted, and connect with fellow aficionados around the world. But the premium ordeals—attending primetime games, being close to the action, traveling with a team through the playoffs—remain reserved for those who can afford them and have the time to make it happen.
Despite all this, fans keep showing up.
Part of the unwavering loyalty stems from something that goes beyond marketing. Unlike television shows, movies, or other forms of entertainment, sports become intertwined with personal identity for many people.
“Who you’re a fan of is part of who you are,” DiGisi said. “The price factor isn’t going to change that. Say the [Brooklyn] Nets were going to be charging half of what the Knicks charge. You’re not going to get a bunch of people to switch from Knicks fans to Nets fans because of that. It’s unrivaled passion and loyalty. [Your team can] get beat up for years, but you’re going to stick with it.”
Sports loyalty is far more emotional than transactional. Fans stay through losing seasons, championship droughts, and rising costs because their connection extends beyond just the product.
The attachment to certain teams, even certain players, helps validate the sports industry’s continued appeal. Few industries receive the same level of loyalty. A disappointing season of a television show can alienate viewers and lead to cancellation. Sports teams can disappoint fans season after season and still keep them coming back for more.
The future of sports fandom will likely continue to have some level of contradiction. Technology will create new ways to engage with the game, communities, and athletes. Streaming services and marketing deals will evolve, betting platforms will expand, and digital experiences will become more immersive. But the live event will always remain special.
“The live experience cannot be replaced,” DiGisi said.
This tension sits at the center of modern sports. Being a fan remains accessible, as millions of people can still watch games, debate trades online, and build a community around the teams they love. What has changed is the ability to be physically present for the marquee moments.
Sports may not have become a luxury, but attending them increasingly has.
As leagues prioritize profits and fans search for a deeper connection, the gap between these two realities may only continue to grow.
