It turns out a home’s “must-have” list can go beyond kitchens and bedrooms—especially for football fans.
For about one in five NFL fans, team loyalty had a huge influence on their home search.
A recent Realtor.com survey conducted online August 22-24 also reveals more than half (55%) of these football-loving Americans say supporting a local team helps them feel more connected to their community and neighborhood.
That’s according to responses from a national sample of 2,201 U.S. adults aged 18 and up. Data was weighted by gender, age, race, region and education to represent the U.S. population.
When it comes to NFL fans and the teams they support, a connection to their community is a major driving force and influence. Creating a home is about so much more than buying a physical property—it is also about the community that we build around it. Our new survey shows that football and NFL play a vital role in how we see that community. And that team loyalty is actually less important to most people than their home and the people who surround it. So much so that nearly one-third of NFL fans would actually change teams if they moved to a new city or state.
Read on to see just how big an influence NFL team loyalty has on home buying.
NFL Fandom’s Influence on Home Buying
General Influence on Home Search
Nearly one in five NFL fans say their team loyalty played an “extremely significant” or “highly significant” role in their home search.
According to the research, being part of an NFL fandom can influence a buyer’s preferences when it comes to specific home features and layouts, as well as location, right down to the specific neighborhood.
- 18% of NFL fans were “highly” or “extremely influenced” to search by specific home features, including a covered porch or built-in bar
- 20% were similarly influenced to search by house layouts or specific rooms, including a basement or a home theater.
- 18% were similarly influenced to search for homes in specific locations, including cities and neighborhoods near football stadiums.
What a sports fan looks for when they’re shopping for a home has a lot to do with where they generally like to watch the game.
- Two-thirds (67%) of NFL fans watch games at home in a shared or multipurpose room, such as a living room or family room
- 29% have a space at home dedicated to watching football, such as a finished basement or a theater room
- 4% watch the game somewhere other than home
Community and Football Fandom
About two-thirds of NFL fans (66%) say having neighbors who support the same NFL team makes watching football games more enjoyable.
Six out of 10 respondents (61%) say supporting a local team is important to them. And over half (55%) feel more connected to their community because they support the same team.
As for why respondents are so motivated by NFL team loyalty:
- 44% cite good team performance as their main reason for support.
- 40% support teams representing the city or state where they grew up
- 39% follow an NFL team as part of a family tradition.
- 38% support the team that represents the city they live in (or closest to)
- 29% support teams followed by their friends or community.
Meet the “Super Fans”
About one in five NFL followers are classified as “super fans,” with a degree of team loyalty that plays a huge role in their home search:
- 20% are highly influenced to search for a home with a layout favorable to watching football (e.g., home theater, basement, den, large living room, etc.)
- 18% are attracted to specific home features like a covered porch or built-in bar
- 18% want a home with proximity to stadiums or specific cities
Among Gen Z NFL followers, 28% say their team loyalty highly influenced their search for specific fandom-friendly home features. And among Millennial football fans, 29% were highly influenced by home features conducive to game-watching.
