Why Is F1 Merch So Expensive?

The other day I wanted to buy a cool F1 jersey, but after looking at each team’s page for a while, I gave up on seeing the ridiculous prices and wondered why F1 merchandise is so expensive.

The main reason F1 products are overpriced is the law of supply and demand. Brands and teams put such a high price on their products because they know that there is a sector of fans who will always be willing to buy them, regardless of how much they cost to get more profit.

You may ask, but who wants to be a walking billboard for teams? Well, it seems that there is a consolidated market that we will analyze in this article.

If you’re looking for some F1 merchandise, check out the awesome stuff at the official F1 store here.

Why Is F1 Merch So Expensive?

An F1 jersey can cost up to $80, and let’s not even talk about a jacket, which can go as high as $150 (I’ve even seen them for $200). These prices are astronomical and may make us wonder who in their right mind would buy something for that price, but there are. Who has not ever purchased a costly product as a whim, gift, or at an event?

The prices of these products are like this because there is a market behind them. Brands and teams make money selling their products for that price, so why would they sell them cheaper if they wouldn’t make as much profit?

These products, such as caps, t-shirts, or sweatshirts, are of good quality, and it must be taken into account that the sponsors and brands that appear on the products increase the cost of the product. Appearing, for example, on a shirt increases the exposure of that sponsor, so they will have to pay more money to the team to appear in their merchandising, as it is another form of advertising.

F1, like other sports, creates an emotional connection between the fan and the team/driver, so providers can take advantage of this connection to increase prices since they know the demand for these products will always exist. Many people like to wear their favorite team jersey and show the world their unconditional support.

Comparing The Price Of F1 Merch With Other Sports

Below we have a comparison between different F1 and other sports products to see if the prices are similar or not. The prices have been taken from official websites, although they may vary from one to another.

T-shirts

F1: Daniel Ricciardo 2021 Team T-Shirt: $70
Football: Real Madrid 2021/22 First Kit: $110
NBA: Replica Swingman Lakers Icon Edition: $110
MotoGP: Marc Marquez 93 Repsol T-shirt: $50

Sweatshirts

F1: Original Teamwear Sweatshirt Men Alfa Romeo ORLEN: $130
Football: Manchester United Condivo Training Sweatshirt: $95
NBA: Head Coach Hoody Vancouver Grizzlies: $110
MotoGP: Red Bull KTM Teamline Sweatshirt: $115

Caps

F1: Scuderia Ferrari 20/21 Team Charles Leclerc Cap: $45
Football: Arsenal FC 2021/2022 Cap: $25
NBA: LA Lakers Comic Front Purple 9FIFTY Cap: $43
MotoGP: Jack Miller Ducati Dual Cap: $40

We can see that it is not only in F1 that prices are so high, since, although prices vary, they are also generally high in other sports. Fans of other sports such as football or basketball also complain about overpriced products, especially when they come out at the beginning of the season, which is when they are most expensive and create the most excitement.

Where Can I Buy F1 Merch?

All F1 teams have their website where you can buy their products. F1 also has an official page where you can buy merch by driver or team for the same prices as the team pages, although sometimes there are some discounts.

Other websites where you can find official products for similar prices are Fuel For Fans, MasterLAP, FansBRAND, CMC Motorsports, Motorsports Superstore, and Fanatics. The good thing about these pages is that they usually have codes or discounts from time to time. They typically have a great variety of products from previous years on clearance so that you can buy cheaper official products.

Tips To Save Money on F1 Merch

Below are some tips that I use whenever I want to buy a cool shirt or cap for a team:

Compare Between Websites: Authentic products are sold at similar prices on all websites. However, as we said above, from time to time there are some discounts and products for sale on some of them, so comparing will be helpful to see which page offers them.
Buy During Off-Season: Most teams and websites usually have significant discounts when the season is over in December to get rid of them in favor of the next season’s merch.
Buy On Black Friday And Other Holiday Sales: You can find real bargains on these dates.
Look For Clearances On Websites: Most pages have clearances. However, their products vary a lot from one to another. Search all the websites, and you will surely find something you like.
Register On The Webs: Many F1 team websites and other websites where they sell official merch offer special discounts to those who register and notify them when there are general promotions.

These tips will help you save some money. Always verify that the website where you are going to buy something sells official products and is trustworthy.

Many websites sell products that are worth $80 for $20. These are probably a scam or an unofficial product of very low quality, so I do not recommend you to buy on those pages, as in the end, cheap can be costly.

Final thoughts

Well, there is not much we can do to change the prices. This is how the market works, and large corporations will harness the enthusiasm of fans to make a profit.

We could complain, although it would be useless. We fans can search and compare in the right places and wait for the right moment. You just have to be a bit sharp.