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Spending thousands of dollars on merchandise is par for the course for some fans at the Masters tournament.
Augusta National is expected to generate about $70 million in merchandise sales during the 2026 golf tournament in Georgia, according to Front Office Sports and other reports.
The staggering totals are turning heads online and across the sports world.
"The Masters will do about $70 million in merchandise sales this week," sports business analyst Joe Pompliano wrote on X, echoing reported estimates. "$10 million per day, $1 million per hour, $16,000 per minute, $277 per second … in just one week, with no online sales."
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"$277 per second with no online store is insane," one shocked commenter said.
A detailed photograph of a patron's shopping including the popular Gnome during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Pompliano added that the event's total would exceed the full-year merchandise revenue of the Atlanta Braves by about $25 million.
"Outselling an MLB team’s entire year in one week is crazy," one X user noted.
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Others were shocked that the totals do not even include online sales, but that in-person exclusivity is part of the draw.
Masters merchandise is sold only on-site at Augusta National, with no official online store, prompting fans to spend heavily while attending.
Attendees often leave with hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars worth of items, ranging from apparel like an $88 sweatshirt and a $178 woven bag to collectibles such as coveted $50 garden gnomes, according to Business Insider.
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One woman said she was fielding social media requests from people asking her to pick up merchandise for them. "I get it," she said. "The merch is very sought after and rare."
High demand for Masters gear has shoppers buying items in bulk for friends and family. (ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE/USA TODAY NETWORK)
"You walk in and kind of black out," another woman told the outlet after spending more than $1,000 on 18 different items. "Everything you thought goes out the window."
Another woman spent $3,500 on over 100 items, buying gifts for friends, family and even future bridesmaids.
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Masters merchandise is seen by fans as a "badge of honor," one said, and inside the store, shoppers said demand was so intense "you could barely move."
High-end items are drawing special attention, including a new Masters-branded mahjong set, which is retailing for about $575 but has already appeared on eBay for as much as $7,500, according to Golfweek.
A limited number of garden gnomes are released daily and quickly snapped up by fans. (Danielle Parhizkaran / USA TODAY NETWORK)
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There are about 1,000 gnomes available daily, priced at nearly $60 each, and they often sell out within the first hour, one Augusta National employee told the outlet.
"I tried so hard to get this year’s gnome," one fan commented on Pompliano's post. "Got there early, stood in line for an hour. They ran out as I was walking in!"
Masters merchandise ranges from purses and sweaters to collectibles, driving heavy fan spending at Augusta National. (Leckie Wong/Augusta National/Getty Images)
The total merch figure would align with estimates from recent years, highlighting that the scale of spending is not new, with the Masters previously generating about $69 million in merchandise revenue in 2022, according to previous Forbes estimates.
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But while fans may spend heavily on merchandise, the food offerings remain a bargain — one place where prices stay under par and shoppers can still stay in the green — Fox News Digital previously reported.
Sandwiches including egg salad and the iconic pimento cheese range from just $1.50 to $3 while muffins are priced at $2.50 and snacks like cookies and chips cost $1.50. A Georgia peach ice cream sandwich sells for $3, with popcorn and candy at $2 and even over-the-counter pain relievers priced at just 75 cents.
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The prices drew widespread praise online, with fans calling them "unreal" compared to other sporting events.
Fox News Digital reached out to Augusta National for comment.
Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.
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