Fans say events are worth the money, but 74% still feel nickel-and-dimed; 82% want AI-powered wait-time predictions to make lines easier to navigate
LOUISVILLE, Colo., — October 7, 2026 — Alchemer, a global leader in customer experience and feedback intelligence, today released its 2026 Fan Experience Report Card for Sports Venues and Teams, revealing that fans remain enthusiastic about live sports but want teams and venues to make the experience surrounding the game more predictable and easier to navigate. The study of 1,064 U.S. fans who attended a professional or college sporting event in the past 12 months examined four critical parts of the game-day experience: ticket value, the venue experience, technology and fan feedback.
The research shows the value of the live sports experience while identifying specific points in the game-day experience where fan expectations fall short. More than 80% of fans say their ticket was worth every penny or reasonable for what they received, while nearly three quarters are frustrated by extra fees, surge pricing and upsells. At the same time, fans show strong interest in AI technology when it solves an immediate game-day problem: 82% are receptive to AI-powered predictive wait times for parking exits, security lines and entry gates.
“Our survey points to growing enthusiasm for live sports, giving teams and venues an opportunity to build on that excitement,” said Ryan Tamminga, Chief Customer Officer, Alchemer. “Fans value the live experience, but they also want improvements. By listening to what fans value and understanding where the experience breaks down, teams and venues can make changes that fans can actually see and feel.”
Alchemer also today released its 2026 Stadium Scorecard, ranking America’s top sports venues based on 6,238 fan reviews. See the full report here.
Additional findings from the 2026 Fan Experience Report:
Fans value the game, but total cost is a factor
- 66% point to cost as a reason they don’t attend games more often, including 48% who cite ticket prices and 17% who cite parking, concessions and other on-site costs.
- The most committed customers feel the effect most: 50% of season-ticket holders say they constantly feel squeezed by added costs, compared with 25% of single-game buyers. That rises to 52% among suite and premium buyers.
Fans want technology that makes game day easier
- Of the 82% that are receptive to AI-powered predictive wait times for parking exits, security lines and entry gates, 43% already consider the capability very useful.
- Digital ticketing (30%) and mobile ordering (27%) are the technologies fans most often say improved their visit. By comparison, only 8% say AI chat assistants improved the experience, while 24% would gladly eliminate them.
- Fans are more interested in AI as an assistant than a decision-maker: 55% would use or trust AI to answer stadium questions, but only 18% would trust it to resolve a ticket issue.
For die-hard fans, the game-day experience matters more than the scoreboard
- Venue staff are a game-day strength: 70% of fans describe employees as friendly and helpful, and 59% say they are knowledgeable.
- Availability matters, however: Among the 16% who say staff were difficult to find when they needed help, “definitely would recommend” drops to 36%, compared with 56% among fans who received the help they needed.
- Among frequent attendees who identify as big fans, 68% say they are more forgiving of poor team performance than a poor venue experience, compared with roughly 11% who say the reverse.
Fans are willing to provide feedback, but see little improvement
- 36% of fans say they have never been asked for feedback after attending an event. Among those who were asked, 70% responded.
- Teams and venues are acknowledging feedback: 73% of fans who provided it received confirmation that their feedback was received, and 43% received a follow-up.
- Only 29% saw a visible improvement or change during a later visit.
The 2026 Fan Experience Report Card for Sports Venues and Teams is available here.
Survey Methodology
The Alchemer Research Solutions Team surveyed 1,064 U.S. fans who attended a professional or college sporting event within the past 12 months. The study examined four major components of the game-day experience: perceived ticket value, venue experience, technology, and the collection and use of fan feedback.
About Alchemer
Alchemer empowers customers to do more with feedback. From a one-time survey to sophisticated feedback programs, Alchemer gives customer-obsessed teams the clarity to move from asking to action with powerful software and purpose-built AI. More than 11,000 organizations use Alchemer to collect feedback and connect it across their organizations through integration and automation. Alchemer gives CX, marketing, product, HR and market research professionals clear, actionable insights. Founded in 2006, Alchemer is a KKR portfolio company. For more information, visit www.alchemer.com.
Contact:
Christy Kemp
The Nova Method