The Sports Equinox Is Here, and Gen Z Has a Game Plan

October 26th is the Sports Equinox, the rare day multiple major pro sports leagues play on the same day, which this year includes the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and WNBA. It’s the peak of the busiest stretch on the sports calendar, and their wallet might need checking on too. In a new survey of 2,000 sports fans, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Chime, fans reported October as their biggest month for sports spending, followed by November and September.

Young fans are turning it up

It was a year packed with big moments, from the World Cup to the Winter Olympics to the Knicks’ first NBA title in 53 years, and fans estimate they spent an average of $2,549 in the last year, from tickets to merch, travel, subscriptions, and more. For some, the tab ran higher, with 1 in 5 estimating they spent more than $5,000. Compared with last year, nearly half (47%) of fans who spend on sports say they’re spending more than a year ago, rising to 68% among Gen Z. Boomer fans who spend on sports are heading the other way, with just 19% spending more and a third (33%) spending less.

Big spenders, bigger planners

In a year of soaring ticket prices and a tough entry-level job market, 82% of Gen Z fans budget for spending on sports, along with 80% of millennials. That’s well above boomers (44%) and the 69% of all fans who budget for their fandom.

The resale game

When peak season hits, boomers load up on gear, with 51% spending more on clothing and accessories, compared with 35% of Gen Z. Younger fans, meanwhile, are cashing in. Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z (64%) and more than half of millennials (58%) have sold a sports item for more than they paid for it, compared with 20% of boomers. For some it’s a strategy, with 27% of Gen Z fans who spend on sports thinking of their fandom spending as collecting or investing, compared with just 8% of boomers.

Real fans and fantasy traitors

More than half of fans (57%) say owning merch, attending events, or spending on sports makes them feel like a more “real” fan, rising to 71% of Gen Z.

Loyalty only goes so far, though. On a packed night of games, some of those same fans will be cheering for the other team. About a quarter of Gen Z (25%) and millennials (24%) call themselves “Fantasy Traitors,” fans who root against their home team to win a fantasy matchup or sports bet. Boomers would never: Just 2% admit to it, and the fan type they most identify with is the “Die-Hard” (36%), staying loyal to their team no matter what. Don’t tell them Gen Z is more than three times as likely to have hopped on a bandwagon when a team got hot (58% vs. 17%). per ownership category.

 

Fandom isn’t cheap, but with a plan it doesn’t have to blow the budget. Whether you’re riding for your team or quietly rooting for your fantasy lineup tonight, enjoy every game of the Sports Equinox. per ownership category.

 

Methodology: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 sports fans who have access to the internet. The survey was commissioned by Chime and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 9 and Oct. 12, 2026.

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