What a time to drop this news in the lap of what is supposed to be the most popular sports league on the planet. From fan conversations about a secret prescribed “NFL Plan” that drives the outcome of games and issues with calls and non-calls by game referees, to the absence of any new Black coaches hired in the league this year and an apparent snub at the Hall of Fame, it has not been a comfortable run-up to the 60th edition of the NFL Super Bowl this coming weekend.

The NFL has never been more popular, but it also appears the league’s fans have never been more dissatisfied.

According to a recent survey conducted by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), NFL fan satisfaction scores came in at 66 on a scale of 0 to 100, 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 January 6-8, 2026, asked 752 consumers who watched or attended at least one NFL game this season to rate their experience as a fan of their favorite team. The survey was fielded after the regular season concluded and before the start of the NFL playoff games. ACSI said the results reveal that satisfaction is driven less by product quality and more by emotional investment, which 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, 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. ACSI said nearly 47 percent of respondents were fans of playoff teams. Results showed that the “happiest” fans belong to the NFC West, a division that sent three teams to the playoffs, with an ACSI score of 75. ACSI also said 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,” ACSI said in its report. “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 report said the primary barrier to attendance remains cost. “Sixty-four percent of fans who didn’t attend games cited ticket prices as the reason,” the ACSI said. “Distance to the stadium (30 percent), preference for watching with friends and family at home (30 percent) and better home viewing experience (28 percent) also factor into attendance decisions.”

Despite relatively low satisfaction, the survey suggests that engagement with the NFL product remains high. “About three-quarters of fans (76 percent) watch most, or all, of their favorite team’s games, regardless of whether their team made the playoffs,” the report notes. “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 in 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 percent vs. 75 percent).
  • Over half (55 percent) of Gen Z fans gambled on their favorite team, versus 35 percent of older fans.
  • Over half (55 percent) of Gen Z fans played fantasy football, compared with 26 percent 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 percent vs. 73 percent) and more likely to say a loss ruins their day (18 percent vs. 11 percent).

Officiating trust remains a concern.

  • Only 63 percent of fans express confidence in the consistency of officiating and disciplinary actions.
  • Gen Z fans show notably higher trust at 77 percent compared to 60 percent for older fans.

“It is a shame the survey failed to include conversations about fantasy leagues and the impact those activities have on engagement,” commented James Hartford, chief market analyst, SGB Analytics. “Fans young and old appear to be engaged with the league at the player level (versus team level) far more today than in decades past. That engagement drives subscriptions to services that provide access to multiple games on Sundays, but the NFL is now working on a scheduling model that requires access to nationally televised games via paid subscriptions to numerous streaming services. On top of the frustration of not knowing where or when your fantasy players may be scheduled, the cost involved is also getting considerable push-back from fans across social media.”

About 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.

Image credit: Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire