The NFL has never been more popular, but its fans are not satisfied.
NFL fan satisfaction scores 66 (on a scale of 0 to 100), according to a survey from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), finishing lower than every industry in ACSI's syndicated study, including internet service providers (72), the U.S. Postal Service (72), and subscription TV service (70).
The survey, conducted Jan. 6-8, 2026, asked 752 fans who watched or attended at least one NFL game this season to rate their experience as a fan of their favorite team. The results reveal satisfaction driven less by product quality and more by emotional investment that creates expectations difficult to meet.
“NFL fandom is unique because fans are rating their entire experience supporting a team, not just evaluating a product or service,” said Forrest Morgeson, Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and Director of Research Emeritus at the ACSI. “Most of these fans never set foot in a stadium, yet the emotional connection shapes their satisfaction.”
Winning determines how fans experience that emotional connection. Fans of playoff teams score 73, while fans whose teams missed the playoffs score 60 — a 13-point gap. Nearly 47% of respondents were fans of playoff teams. The happiest fans belong to the NFC West — a division that sent three teams to the playoffs — with an ACSI score of 75. The most disappointed fans belong to the AFC West, scoring 60, where frustrated Chiefs and Raiders supporters offset satisfaction from Broncos and Chargers fans.
When fans do attend games, the experience scores well. Game day experience, fan engagement and communication, and team performance and identity all score 74. Stadium atmosphere and fan energy rate highest at 77, while ease of parking scores lowest at 64.
The primary barrier to attendance remains cost. Sixty-four percent of fans who didn't attend games cited ticket prices as the reason. Distance to the stadium (30%), preference for watching with friends and family at home (30%), and better home viewing experience (28%) also factor into attendance decisions.
Despite relatively low satisfaction, engagement remains high. About three-quarters of fans (76%) watch most or all of their favorite team's games, regardless of whether their team made the playoffs. Game attendance drives satisfaction and merchandise purchases more effectively than team success. Fans who attended two or more games have an ACSI score of 70 and a willingness to buy merchandise score of 74, compared to 64 and 61 respectively for fans who attended no games.
Other key findings from the survey:
Gen Z fans show lower satisfaction but higher engagement in betting and fantasy sports
- Fans under 30 score 63 compared to 67 for fans over 30, with particularly large gaps in game day experience (64 vs. 77) and fan engagement (69 vs. 76).
- Despite lower satisfaction, Gen Z fans are more likely to recommend buying tickets (66 vs. 61) and watch their favorite team's games at similar rates (77% vs. 75%).
- Over half (55%) of Gen Z fans gambled on their favorite team versus 35% of older fans.
- Over half (55%) of Gen Z fans played fantasy football versus 26% of older fans.
Male fans show lower satisfaction despite higher enjoyment of experience elements
- Males have an ACSI score of 65 versus 68 for females, despite rating game day experience (75 vs. 72), fan engagement (76 vs. 73), and team performance (74 vs. 73) higher.
- Males are more likely to watch most or all of their team's games (80% vs. 73%) and more likely to say a loss ruins their day (18% vs. 11%).
Officiating trust remains a concern
- Only 63% of fans express confidence in consistency of officiating and disciplinary actions.
- Gen Z fans show notably higher trust at 77% compared to 60% for older fans.
About the Survey
The ACSI NFL Fan Satisfaction Survey was conducted Jan. 6-8, 2026, among 752 fans who watched or attended at least one NFL game during the 2025 season. The survey was fielded after the conclusion of the regular season and before the start of playoff games. Follow the ACSI on LinkedIn and X at @theACSI.
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the data and information in this release without the express prior written consent of ACSI LLC.
About the ACSI
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) is a national economic indicator and a leading provider of customer analytics products that help organizations build lasting customer relationships and prove ROI on experience investments. ACSI’s AI-enhanced platform delivers intuitive dashboards and cause-and-effect analytics that pinpoint the quality drivers most predictive of customer allegiance, retention, price tolerance, and financial performance. ACSI data has been shown to correlate strongly with key micro and macroeconomic indicators, including consumer spending, GDP growth, earnings, and stock returns.
Founded in 1994 at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, the ACSI measures customer satisfaction with more than 400 companies in over 40 industries, including federal government services, based on approximately 200,000 annual interviews. Learn more at https://www.theacsi.org.
ACSI and its logo are Registered Marks of American Customer Satisfaction Index LLC.
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Christian Rizzo
crizzo@gregoryagency.com
