Not the most expensive item on the countdown by any means, but nonetheless, good way to throw away money. Sure, buying a foam finger at a game sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, it’s really only good for a one time use, unless you remember to bring it every time the car gets packed up for a ball game. More or less, it’s just another item that takes up room in the closet.
Unless there is a certificate of authentication or a photo of the athlete signing the autograph, it could be a big waste of money. There are definitely some autographs that are priced reasonably. For the most part though, autographs cost way more than they are worth. That’s why it’s better to just get an athlete to sign one at a game or at an official signing.
The only way this makes sense is if a baseball team, or any sports team for that matter, wins the division for the first time in a very long time. However, buying merchandise that commemorates a division win is pointless, especially if that’s all the team accomplished that season. Save the money for the World Series or Super Bowl merchandise.
Like most sports fans, I have an abundance of baseball and football cards that are completely worthless. Don’t mind the money that one spends to buy the cards. The real head scratcher is people who spend thousands of dollars on rare trading cards. For instance, a Honus Wagner rookie card sold for $1.2 million last year.
Everyone wants to have the official merchandise of their favorite team, but is it worth the cost? A reclining chair may be priced at $100, but one with a team logo on it can cost six times that. As cool as it is to have golf balls with your favorite team logo printed on them, it’s not worth paying three times the cost because they’re going to find their way into the water eventually.
When stadiums are torn down, it’s not uncommon for the teams to sell pieces of it to the general public. For the most part, it’s a cool idea to own a piece of history. On the other hand, spending a lot of money for a part of a foul pole or a bleacher seems kind of silly in the long run. As cool as it would be to have a block of grass from Lambeau Field, at some point it’s time to wonder if it’s worth having despite taking up space in the freezer.
Companies get athletes to endorse their products because they know that will encourage fans to spend money on items they probably didn’t need in the first place. For kids to spend hundreds of dollars on Air Jordan shoes because they think it will make them play better is ridiculous.
Like anything else on this list, if you have the money to spend then it’s probably not all that stupid. However, I might have to draw the line at spending $100,000 to play a round of golf with Michael Jordan, or any athlete for that matter. As awesome as it would be to spend play 18 holes with your idol, is it really worth taking a second mortgage out on the house?
I’m really not a fan of custom jerseys. I understand some people think they’re cool, but the reality is they aren’t. Instead of spending the extra money to get “Who Dat” printed on the back, just buy a regular jersey with the athlete’s name on it. Although, even I have to admit that a Mark Sanchez jersey with “Butt Fumble” printed on the back is hilarious.
It’s one thing to spend a lot of money on sneakers that will actually be worn while playing basketball. It’s another thing to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on limited edition sneakers. Even if they aren’t limited edition, the amount of money that people spend on numerous pairs of sneakers is outrageous.
Everyone knows the price for running onto a field during a sporting event. You’re going to get loud cheers from the crowd, tackled or possibly tasered by security, spend some time in a jail cell, get a one-year or lifetime ban from the team and pay a hefty fine. The last part is the deal breaker for most fans. The fact is if you know you’re going to have to empty your bank account to pay for it so why not just sit in your seat and enjoy the game instead.
There are several occasions where spending money for an athlete’s event is a great idea because it’s for charity. Then there are the times where it isn’t for charity and simply a reason to meet your favorite star player. Even though these athletes will say it’s a meet and greet, there are definitely a lot of times where it’s just the opportunity to see the athlete up close instead of actually getting to meet them.
It’s always weird when people purchase items used by athletes, even if it’s for charity. The best example is David Ortiz and Shane Victorino’s facial hair being put on eBay. The epic beards were the rally cry for the Boston Red Sox on their way to a World Series victory. Gillette had the brilliant idea of shaving the star’s beards and auctioning them off for charity. As of right now, the bid for Ortiz’s beard is $4,694 and counting.
The prices for game tickets can get out of control quickly, especially for a big event. However, what I’m talking about is an overpriced ticket to see a bad team play. Who is going to pay $275 to sit courtside for a Milwaukee Bucks game? In fact, tickets to NBA games in general are grossly overpriced.
The stupidest thing any sports fan can spend money on is food and drinks inside a stadium. Even though it’s stupid, we all seem to do it. It’s hard not to take in a baseball game on a nice summer day without a hot dog and cold beer in hand. In reality, it’s just smarter to eat and drink as much as possible prior to walking through the stadium’s gates.
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