Do you spend money on Sports apparel or Events?

[QuarterMillionMan]

On Monday night I attended an Angels vs Texas game for $6, period. No convenience fee, no processing fee, no printing fee, etc. I picked up my ticket for free at 714 tickets just outside of Angel's stadium. I parked in the Anaheim neighborhood for free and rode my bike in for free to avoid a $20 parking fee. I brought my own bottled water into the stadium for free. I didn't buy any food or drinks inside the stadium. Sporting events can be done at a tremendous bargain if you know how to do it. Can anyone top that? $6 dollars!

[bjl584]

I went to a Pirate's game last summer. That was the last sporting event that I attended.

[DaveInPgh]

I went to a Pirate's game last summer. That was the last sporting event that I attended.

I haven't been to a Buc's game since the season PNC Park opened. I went once that season with my wife for a work event.

[phantom]

On Monday night I attended an Angels vs Texas game for $6, period. No convenience fee, no processing fee, no printing fee, etc. I picked up my ticket for free at 714 tickets just outside of Angel's stadium. I parked in the Anaheim neighborhood for free and rode my bike in for free to avoid a $20 parking fee. I brought my own bottled water into the stadium for free. I didn't buy any food or drinks inside the stadium. Sporting events can be done at a tremendous bargain if you know how to do it. Can anyone top that? $6 dollars!

I think can! I mentioned this earlier in this thread, but didn't give my exact numbers. I went to Buc night at PNC Park earlier this year.

Ticket: $1*
Parking at the casino and taking a lovely walk down by the river: FREE
Small Drink from the designated driver booth: FREE
2 Boxes of Popcorn: $2
Total: $3

* I actually can't remember whether or not there was a fee on the tickets. My husband purchased them.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I having been buying university team related items as gifts for my Dad for a few years now. A little apparel, but also just everyday items such as a calculator and mouse pad. I am on the lookout for such items at 90%-ish discounts year round. On the other hand, nobody wants to be deluged with themed knick-knacks, so I try to be moderate, too. Buying only when I find a tremendous discount helps in that.

For myself, nope, not one cent is spent on such.

[DaveInPgh]

I having been buying university team related items as gifts for my Dad for a few years now. A little apparel, but also just everyday items such as a calculator and mouse pad. I am on the lookout for such items at 90%-ish discounts year round. On the other hand, nobody wants to be deluged with themed knick-knacks, so I try to be moderate, too. Buying only when I find a tremendous discount helps in that.

For myself, nope, not one cent is spent on such.

My mother has gone overboard on this for probably 30 years. I always welcome a t-shirt that supports a local team. but the knick-knacks are just dust collectors. I think they are okay for men/women that have a man/woman cave, but when I get knick-knacks as gifts I immediately wonder what I am going to do with them.

If they also serve a practical purpose, then that is different. Like the foam brick she bought me one year. Comes in handy when a ref makes a bad call or when the moronic & overrated QB makes a stupid play.

[cypher1]

I'll preface by saying that I'm not a sports fan at all. First... No, I don't waste my money on overpriced swag from random sports teams with which I have no association or influence.

But I truly cannot understand the mindset of sports fans. It's bewildering to me. How can mass numbers of people be so obsessed with a sports team that when "their team" loses, it ruins their day (or week... or year). And when the team wins, they brag & go nuts (or worse... Fights? Riots? Destruction of property? Killing people? Ridiculous.) And for all of this, these people had absolutely nothing to do with the result of the game/match/etc! They're spectators, with zero input or influence upon the players!

I am 100% in agreement of that statement. During football season I dread Mondays, as my co-workers go play by play discussion of the Vikings/Packers/Bears games for at least 20-30 minutes. Then another 20 minutes of smack talk between each team, along with complaining about their trades and points on fantasy FB. I have to put my headphones on to drown out the sounds.

My peak for love of sports or mainly baseball was probably in middle school until Kirby Puckett retired (RIP).

Otherwise for apparel, maybe this doesn't count, but I plan on spending another 200-400 on a new snowboard, plus 150-200 on bindings.

[phantom]

If they also serve a practical purpose, then that is different. Like the foam brick she bought me one year. Comes in handy when a ref makes a bad call or when the moronic & overrated QB makes a stupid play.

LOL at the overrated QB making the bad play.

I totally agree, though. I'm happy to have team branded versions of items I'll actually use. But, I would love to know what my MIL was thinking the year she bought my husband and I team garden gnomes. Maybe she thought they were amusing? I sure hope she didn't think I'd want something so tacky and hideous in my yard.

[DaveInPgh]

LOL at the overrated QB making the bad play.

I totally agree, though. I'm happy to have team branded versions of items I'll actually use. But, I would love to know what my MIL was thinking the year she bought my husband and I team garden gnomes. Maybe she thought they were amusing? I sure hope she didn't think I'd want something so tacky and hideous in my yard.

Does she come to visit at all? Perhaps keep them in a box in the garage and put them out for a couple of hours whenever she visits.

My mother would struggle to name one or two things she bought us for Christmas. We typically get about 10 small gifts. A big Christmas is a tradition in our family. The only thing keeping a lot of her gifts from the thrift store is my own guilt. But many do eventually end up there.

[phantom]

Does she come to visit at all? Perhaps keep them in a box in the garage and put them out for a couple of hours whenever she visits.

My mother would struggle to name one or two things she bought us for Christmas. We typically get about 10 small gifts. A big Christmas is a tradition in our family. The only thing keeping a lot of her gifts from the thrift store is my own guilt. But many do eventually end up there.

This was several years ago. The gnomes lasted a few months in the garage before going to Goodwill. I'm not sure my MIL ever noticed or cared that we didn't put them out.

My MIL gives two types of gifts, junk that she buys because it's inexpensive and/or amusing and junk that she buys because she wants to attach sentimental meaning to it. Unfortunately, she seldom takes the recipient's taste into account with either type of gift. But, at least the former can be easily disposed of, and at least sports team garden gnomes fall into that group.

[DaveInPgh]

This was several years ago. The gnomes lasted a few months in the garage before going to Goodwill. I'm not sure my MIL ever noticed or cared that we didn't put them out.

My MIL gives two types of gifts, junk that she buys because it's inexpensive and/or amusing and junk that she buys because she wants to attach sentimental meaning to it. Unfortunately, she seldom takes the recipient's taste into account with either type of gift. But, at least the former can be easily disposed of, and at least sports team garden gnomes fall into that group.

At least she didn't notice or care

My FIL gives us junk he finds at flea markets and will ask about the items ad nauseam. Needs to make sure we are holding on to and caring for the treasures he passed on to us. The majority of the stuff is worthless, and even the items that do have some value I would rather not have anyway. I am not a collector nor want to be one. But as long as he is still able to ask about his generous gifts, my DW is adamant about keeping them.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Now that will be hard to beat, $3 total.

I think can! I mentioned this earlier in this thread, but didn't give my exact numbers. I went to Buc night at PNC Park earlier this year.

Ticket: $1*
Parking at the casino and taking a lovely walk down by the river: FREE
Small Drink from the designated driver booth: FREE
2 Boxes of Popcorn: $2
Total: $3

* I actually can't remember whether or not there was a fee on the tickets. My husband purchased them.

[frugalNH]

You own no nike, UA, adidas, etc etc? if so then you do spend money on sport apparel.

I interpret the original poster to mean team specific items and events, so that is what I'm talking about. No, I don't own any Patriots, Red Sox (my area's teams) or any other pro sporting team items, nor do my kids or husband. With the exception of Xmas gifts sometimes, the few Nike or UA items we own were purchased second hand for pennies on the dollar or new but significantly marked down. $30 or $40 for a kid's hoodie? A waste of money, in my eyes. The one area I will buy brand name new for full price is running shoes for myself. The health of my joints require it, and even then I'm buying for function, not looks. My joints are happy in a certain line of Mizunos, which (to me) are pretty ugly, but worth every penny for my comfort. So yes, we own general sports apparel, but no, we don't spend one red cent on team specific items or games.

[cleman]

Im very interested in sports. But I dont waste money for sports apparel and events.

[DaveInPgh]

I interpret the original poster to mean team specific items and events, so that is what I'm talking about. No, I don't own any Patriots, Red Sox (my area's teams) or any other pro sporting team items, nor do my kids or husband. With the exception of Xmas gifts sometimes, the few Nike or UA items we own were purchased second hand for pennies on the dollar or new but significantly marked down. $30 or $40 for a kid's hoodie? A waste of money, in my eyes. The one area I will buy brand name new for full price is running shoes for myself. The health of my joints require it, and even then I'm buying for function, not looks. My joints are happy in a certain line of Mizunos, which (to me) are pretty ugly, but worth every penny for my comfort. So yes, we own general sports apparel, but no, we don't spend one red cent on team specific items or games.

You interpreted the thread correctly.

I view NON team specific athletic apparel to be a different category/topic altogether.