The Valley Chronicle - Great gifts for sports fansng

[caption id="attachment_14520" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Metro Service
Holiday shoppers no doubt have one or two sports fans and/or athletes on their shopping lists. The following sports-related gifts might be just the thing such loved ones are hoping to find under the tree this holiday season.[/caption] ■ Metro Service / Contributed Sports fans are passionate about their favorite sports and favorite teams. Perhaps nowhere is that passion more evident than in how much sports fans are spending to attend sporting events. A 2017 study from CreditCards.com found that American consumers spent $56 billion to attend sporting events over the year prior to the study being conducted. But sports fans weren’t just paying to see their favorite sports, but to participate in them as well. In the 12-month span covered by the study, sports lovers spent $33 billion on athletic equipment. Holiday shoppers no doubt have one or two sports fans and/or athletes on their shopping lists. The following sports-related gifts might be just the thing such loved ones are hoping to find under the tree this holiday season. Tickets: For diehard sports fans, few things can rival the thrill of seeing a favorite team in person. However sports tickets don’t come cheap, especially for fans who want to take their families to the game. Data from TeamMarking.com indicates that the average cost for a family of four to attend a National Football League game in 2016 was $502.84, while the same family spent roughly $220 that year to attend a Major League Baseball game. Those costs include food, beverages, parking, and apparel. Holiday shoppers can soften the blow of attending a game with the family by purchasing the tickets. Apparel: Watch a ballgame on television and it might seem as if every fan in the stands is decked out in the home team’s colors. That’s not an illusion, as a 2018 survey from Statista found that more than 13 percent of sports fans spent $500 or more on sports apparel in 2017. Jerseys, hats, scarves, and outerwear are sure to please sports fans who want to showcase the love they have for their favorite teams. Streaming service/television packages: Sports fans live all over the globe, and many do not live within the television markets of their favorite teams. That can make it difficult, but not impossible, for sports fans to watch their favorite teams. Streaming services such as MLB.TV and NFL Sunday Ticket.TV (also available through DirecTV as an NFL Sunday Ticket) enable fans to watch their favorite teams regardless of where they live. Gear: For the sports fan who’s more than just a spectator but a participant as well, gear such as golf clubs, mitts, bats, or whatever else is necessary to participate in his or her favorite sport is sure to please this holiday season. Some sports, such as golf and rock climbing, may require an intimate knowledge of a loved one’s game and skill level. In such instances, shoppers can simply buy gift cards to retailers that cater to athletes who participate in specific sports. Gifting sports fans and athletes can be fun. Sports-related presents are a great way to stoke loved ones’ passions for their favorite teams.