‘Harry Potter’ Lands at the Bottom of a Surprising Fandom Spending Ranking
Shopping for anything Potter-related often turns into a hunt for how many everyday objects can carry a Hogwarts crest, from robes and wands to mugs, blankets, and accessories. The franchise gives fans plenty of ways to spend money well beyond the books and movies.
That reputation as a merchandising powerhouse is well earned. One analysis of the franchise’s earning power counted US$8.5 billion from the films, US$7.7 billion from book sales, and US$7.3 billion from toys and merchandise. By almost any reasonable measure, the boy wizard built an empire.
So it stings a little that a new study has the Wizarding World sitting at the very bottom of a list of big spenders. Collider reported that ‘Harry Potter’ places 10th in Zero1 Gaming’s new fandom spending ranking, with an estimated $502.52 million in expenditure. The outlet’s post on X framed it as the franchise trailing Pokémon, Disney, and Marvel.
The top of the table is crowded with heavy hitters. Pokémon leads at $1.71 billion, followed by the NFL at $1.36 billion and Disney at $907.25 million. ‘Super Mario’ and MLB take the next two spots, followed by FC Barcelona, Manchester United, and Real Madrid.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe lands one rung above Hogwarts. It sits just ahead of ‘Harry Potter’ at about $552.89 million. In other words, the wizard was edged out by a superhero franchise and then by a pack of sports teams and a Nintendo mascot.
The gap at the top is hard to ignore. Pokémon’s total is more than 3 times larger than the figure for ‘Harry Potter.’ The study records approximately 40.2 million purchase-related searches for Pokémon and estimates $985 million in spending on signature products such as games, plus another $301 million on apparel.
Collider’s explanation leans on something no spell can replicate, which is the way Pokémon grows up with its fans. Someone who started with ‘Pokémon Red’ or ‘Blue’ can now help a younger Trainer choose a first partner, teach them the card game, or join them for a walk in ‘Pokémon GO.’ That cycle keeps new plush toys and trading cards flowing into shopping baskets long after the first adventure ends.
Before anyone declares a Potter apocalypse, there is some important context. The figures are modeled spending estimates, and the study offers no earlier comparison, so it cannot establish how far the Wizarding World has actually fallen. ‘Harry Potter’ still commands an estimated half-billion-dollar market.
The methodology also matters. Collider notes that a community buying sports jerseys, another chasing trading cards, and another picking up the latest video game can produce very different results once product prices enter the equation. A ranking built around online purchasing interest rewards fandoms with frequent, affordable, repeatable purchases, which is not necessarily where a book-and-film saga shines.
The timing is notable, too. Dominic McLaughlin takes over as Harry in HBO’s series, which arrives in 2027 after filming through 2025 and 2026. A fresh adaptation could give the franchise a new wave of shoppers, though this ranking suggests it has plenty of ground to make up against Pikachu.
For now, Hogwarts may not wear the crown in this particular contest. But a franchise that still moves roughly $500 million in estimated fan spending is hardly out of magic.
