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Robert Gray

<p>You can call it &#8220;fanderlust.&#8221;<br><br>Stadium, ballpark, and arena turnstiles (both real and virtual) are turning at record rates across the U.S., admitting unprecedented numbers of sports fans filling more seats than ever. It’s not just fans turning up more frequently to root, root, root for the home team by driving, grabbing a cross-town bus, subway, or Uber to see their local favorites during a homestand; boosters are hitting the road to catch games and see the sights around the area, too. </p><div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



<p>The sports travel business <a href="https://www.unwto.org/events/3rd-world-sports-tourism-congress">generates some $609 billion</a> globally, projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 16% between 2024 and 2030. Sports travel packages will reach $2.9 billion this year in the U.S., just shy of the 2019 high of $3.04 billion and en route to $3.5 billion in 2029, according to data market research firm Euromonitor provided <em>Fortune</em>.</p>



<p>“Sports travel is having a moment. People are realizing that adding a truly unique, go-to destination supercharges the vacation or getaway,” says Dave Guenther, founder and president of <a href="https://www.roadtrips.com/">Roadtrips</a>, a travel company that specializes in high-end sports travel packages. He adds that some people are experiencing new destinations multiple weekends a year. “The tipping point is they’re following their team.”</p>



<p>Sports travel experts say it&#8217;s not exactly the <a href="https://fortune.com/2024/02/19/pandemic-revenge-travel-airports-flights-to-europe-asia-new-york-singapore/">“revenge travel”</a> that emerged during the pandemic after lockdown essentially shut out fans from sports events and kept many stands at reduced capacity for a season or two. But a mix of pent-up demand, change in travel attitudes, and more appealing sports facilities have worked up a healthy appetite for experiential destination visits centered around sports—and people are willing to drop thousands of dollars to make it happen.</p>



<p>“It’s no longer just about attending the game—it’s about creating a full, immersive experience. Fans want to combine their love for sports with destination exploration, making every trip a unique adventure,” explains Joseph DeMarinis, founder and CEO of <a href="https://bookseats.com/">BookSeats</a>. “The surge in demand reflects not just a passion for sports, but a broader cultural shift towards experiential travel.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Younger fans and wealthy fans are driving sports tourism</h2>



<p>More than one-third of adults planned to travel for sports this year, with <a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/discover/get-inspired/global-travel-trends">38% planning trips exceeding six hours</a>, according to a global <a href="https://fortune.com/company/american-express/" target="_blank">American Express</a> survey. The driving reasons for going the extra miles: watching a favorite sports team in person, witnessing a big sports or cultural event, and seeing a favorite athlete. Millennials and Gen Z fans are leading the way, with two-thirds indicating an interest in traveling to a sports event—higher than the 58% of all respondents who said the same.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These younger generations continue prioritizing experiences over possessions, DeMarinis says. They may also be spurring each other on. “The power of social media and FOMO (the fear of missing out) drives fans to be part of big, shared moments,” he adds. And people are “absolutely” spending more to see sporting events that “create lasting memories (and) to travel to a bucket-list destination.”</p>



<p>The bigger the event—such as this year’s Summer Olympic Games in Paris—the bigger the pull. <a href="https://parisjetaime.com/eng/media/article/preliminary-report-olympic-games-a1755">Americans were the biggest group of international visitors</a> in Paris during the <a href="https://fortune.com/company/olympic-steel/" target="_blank">Olympics</a> in July and August.</p>



<p>Guenther, the Roadtrips president, said his high-net-worth clients aren’t price sensitive when it comes to special events—they just want to be there for the fun and games. “You’re hitting your destination at a premium moment. You can go to Paris anytime and it’ll be expensive, but if you choose to go there during the Summer Games, it’s next level. I think some people almost get addicted to the excitement and the vibe and how the destination is transformed by hosting an event.”</p>



<p>Formula 1’s exclusive access opportunities have also been a big hit with his clientele. “A lot of races have VIP team hospitality that allows people to meet drivers, get into the pits, and have the best vantage point at the F1 race.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Those packages typically go for $20,000 or more for what Guenther calls “very VIP hospitality.” Indy 500 packages start at $1,000, while Olympic packages start at $7,000 and go to the “stratosphere.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fans will travel for an immersive experience&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Sports enthusiasts are also traveling far and wide to see their favorite teams, enticed by the many new venues and upgraded facilities that feature <a href="https://www.gensler.com/blog/new-seating-options-at-sports-venues">fan-friendly “social spaces.”</a> These reflect the cultural shift and expectations for an experience where spectators can gather in interesting spaces away from their seats, get concessions, and still see the game.</p>



<p>They want to “experience and enjoy being part of an immersive real-world experience where stadia are being upgraded to provide the best experience possible in terms of entertainment, celebration, and the pure joy of sports fandom,” says Caroline Bremner, senior head of travel research at <a href="https://www.euromonitor.com/">Euromonitor International</a>. “The intersection of sports fandom and travel is a sweet spot for travel brands and destinations as sports fans are passionate about their teams, will pay a premium, and [are] also willing to stay longer and discover the local area beyond the match.”</p>



<p>It’s partly why attendance for pro leagues is hitting records, as well as team expansions and season extensions. Fan demand is keeping up.</p>



<p>One-third of Major League Baseball (MLB) fans traveled to attend a game from outside the ballpark’s designated market area (classified as a 150-mile radius), according to data the league provided <em>Fortune</em>. It just posted its second straight season of growth at the gate, the first time since 2011-2012. Attendance rose to the highest level in seven seasons (71.3 million in 2024), “continuing its run as the most attended sports league in the world by far,” per the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-reaches-back-to-back-years-of-rising-attendance">MLB’s blog</a>.</p>



<p>The NBA, meanwhile, welcomed more fans than ever in its 2023-2024 season—the second straight year attendance reached a record, along with&nbsp;average attendance at games, percentage of capacity, and sellouts.</p>



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</div></figure>



<p>Jonathan Tillman, NBA executive vice president and head of team marketing and business operations, says the league is seeing interest from fans across age groups and backgrounds “including those who live in an NBA market, as well as fans from across the country or around the world who travel to experience the excitement of the NBA up close and in person.”</p>



<p>It's a similar story across the board: The recently completed soccer seasons for both Major League Soccer (<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/fact-and-record-book">MLS</a>) and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) saw record numbers packing stands (both have expanded their leagues), the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) last schedule was its second best attended at a <a href="https://www.acrossthetimeline.com/wnba/data.html#query=3">22-year high</a>, and the National Hockey League’s (NHL) 2023-24 season attracted its best attendance yet with nearly <a href="https://records.nhl.com/history/attendance">24.5 million fans</a>.</p>



<p>The National Football League (NFL) remains a hot ticket at home and on the road. It added an extra game for each team in 2021 and has set new attendance records for three straight seasons. “The NFL is the leader in fan travel, we consistently see it as the most popular choice for sports trips,” DeMarinis says.</p>



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<iframe title="NFL attendance hits paydirt! Record high in 2023-2024 for third straight season" aria-label="Column Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-Fiqak" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Fiqak/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="482" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();</script>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Next year's seats are already filling up</h2>



<p>Even all-star sports network ESPN has gotten into the game with its new <a href="https://experiences.espn.com/rosebowl">ESPN Experiences</a>, which provides exclusive in-person behind-the-scenes activities for fans to meet broadcast talent and former pro athletes and to see the sets and technology that make the magic happen on TV, complete with game tickets, accommodations, and travel (its New Year’s week Rose Bowl experience starts at $6,495).</p>



<p>Given the elevated and record attendance, the scarcity of seats means there’s likely little relief in sight for ticket pricing, and tour operators say many clients are booking up luxe experiences such as the Super Bowl and F1 races months in advance. Some are already getting queries about packages for the men’s soccer World Cup in 2026.</p>



<p>Of course, it’s no slam dunk that sports fans and other travelers will keep paying up for game tickets that routinely run more than $100 per person and VIP experiences north of $1,000 for these events. But both DeMarinis and Guenther say bookings and interest for next year and beyond remain robust.</p>



<p>Guenther adds he’s seeing an interesting trend that may help offset price sensitivity: More families are scheduling sports trips to big events in lieu of theme parks and other destinations. Laughing, he says many of his clients say: “‘<a href="https://fortune.com/company/disney/" target="_blank">Disney</a>, we’ve been there and done that, but going to the World Cup final? If grandpa’s paying for that, I’m in!’”</p></div>

From the Olympics to football games, fans have worked up a healthy appetite for experiential destination visits centered around sports.

Sports fans drop up to $20,000 to see their favorite teams, athletes in person

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You can call it "fanderlust:" fans have worked up a healthy appetite for experiential destination visits centered around sports.

Sports travel booms as fans drop up to $20,000 to see their favorite teams and athletes in person

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