Cathleen Bell
ON THE RECORD · 6 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“Suddenly you're ballooning that debt, and then it's very difficult [to get out],”
Cathleen Bell · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Bell described how manageable debt can quickly grow after an unexpected expense.
“are more kind of emotional about their identity attachments.”
Cathleen Bell · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Bell said fans who spend on items like jerseys often feel emotionally attached to their teams.
“It's just not very fun or exciting to be like, 'you know what feels great is not having a credit card balance.'”
Cathleen Bell · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Bell noted that avoiding debt isn't as emotionally satisfying to fans as spending on their teams.
“People really care about sports — it's connected to their identity, like travel, like gift-giving,”
Cathleen Bell · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Bell explained why fans feel strongly connected to sports spending despite the associated stress.
“There's people who are making those passion plays for their team,”
Cathleen Bell · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Bell explained that some fans view big sports experiences as worth splurging on.
“I think 20 years ago, you could be a sports fan and all you needed was an antenna on your roof,”
Cathleen Bell · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Bell noted that the cost of following sports has increased even for casual fans.