Which Major League Teams Give You the Most Bang for Your Buck?
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Delivering high-intensity drama and action-packed matchups, the NFL and NBA each attract millions of fans across America and around the world. But with the rising cost of living, including increasing ticket prices, many supporters are choosing to watch at home instead of live in the stadium.
So, to help you choose the best sporting venues for affordable tickets and maximum entertainment, we’ve revealed the teams that offer the best bang for your buck. Read on to see where your favorite franchises rank!
The Best-Value NFL Teams to Support
Comparing the typical cost of a game day ticket against the number of points scored per home game during the 2022 season, we can officially crown the Detroit Lions as the best-value NFL team to support. In fact, the Michigan-based franchise’s games see a rate of 0.403 points per dollar spent – or $2.48 per point - making the $145 tickets a worthy investment.
Next up, taking the title of second-best-value team to support, expect to spend just under $2.50 per point when watching the Houston Texans, or 41.63 points per $104 game day ticket. Meanwhile, Super Bowl LVI runner up the Cincinnati Bengals take third, with fans getting 0.386 points per dollar, which equates to a spend of $2.59 per point.
In fourth, watching the Cleveland Browns comes at a cost of just $2.81 per point – or 0.356 points per dollar – thanks to their average combined game score of 44.44 and typical ticket cost of $125 per game. Finally, the Atlanta Falcons round out the five NFL teams that give you the best bang for your buck, with each point costing fans less than $3.
The Worst-Value NFL Teams to Support
At the other end of the table, Super Bowl LV winner the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offer the worst-value viewing, with the second-most expensive tickets in the NFL ($311) and fans forking out a remarkable $9.55 per point – which works out at a reward of just 0.105 points per dollar spent!
They’re joined by the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots, who charge $8.41 and $7.65 per point – or score 0.119 and 0.131 points per dollar - respectively, while the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles complete our list of the five worst-value teams, with fans enjoying fewer than 0.16 points per dollar spent.
Curiously, when reviewing the most expensive NFL teams to support, the Raiders ($448), Bucs ($311), Eagles ($287), and Patriots ($286) take the top four spots, while the Broncos ($282) sit seventh, reinforcing the overall poor value.
The Best-Value NBA Teams to Support
Just as we’ve done for the NFL, we’ve also compared the typical cost of an NBA game day ticket vs the number of points scored per game during the 2022 season, to reveal the best-value basketball teams to support.
Taking top spot and coming away with an average of 1.729 points per dollar spent – or a rate of $0.58 per point - Indiana Pacers fans get the most bang for their buck. Impressively, the Pacers actually offer the most affordable game day tickets ($138), and their games see the second-highest scores (238.66 points per game), making them the all-round top choice.
Next up, taking the title of the second-best value NBA team to support, Oklahoma City Thunder supporters can expect to see almost 1.6 points per dollar spent – at a rate of $0.63 per point. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons take third, with fans seeing an average of 230.76 points for each $153 game day ticket – at a rate of $0.66 per point.
In fourth, watching the San Antonio Spurs also comes at a cost of $0.66 per point – or 1.507 points per dollar spent – thanks to their average combined game score of 236.63 and typical ticket cost of $157 per game. Finally, the Houston Rockets round out the five NBA teams that give you the best bang for your buck, with each point to cost fans just $0.70.
The Worst-Value NBA Teams to Support
At the other end of the table, the Golden State Warriors technically offer the worst-value viewing, with the most expensive tickets in the NBA ($611) and fans forking out a stunning $2.64 per point – though, the four titles in the last nine years will surely appease supporters!
They’re joined by the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, who charge $2.25 and $1.50 per point – or score 0.44 and 0.67 points per dollar – respectively, while the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns complete our list of the five worst-value NBA teams, with fans enjoying fewer than 0.8 game points per dollar spent.
Interestingly, similar to the NFL, the five most expensive teams to support each also offer the lowest return for your money, with the Warriors ($611), Lakers ($518), Knicks ($346), Celtics ($303), and Suns ($285) all selling the costliest tickets.
As the new NFL and NBA seasons fast-approach us, it’s interesting to see which teams offer the best bang for your buck – and whether high prices mean high quality! In the meantime, discover all the latest sports betting odds and picks, or find even more interesting insight from our experts over on the Gambling.com blog.
Methodology
To determine the NFL and NBA teams that offer the best bang for your buck, we analyzed the average cost of a home ticket and the number of points scored at each home game during the 2022 season (home and away team points combined).
Sources:
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