Many sports fans are unhappy with how much it costs to watch their games, an AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — For many dedicated sports fans, keeping up with their favorite teams has become a juggling act.

Activate an NFL package in August, unsubscribe after the Super Bowl and before the NBA playoffs get underway, then subscribe to the NBA's service. Grudgingly keep paying the cable bill because it’s the only way to get the local baseball team. Throw in a subscription to ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service for college football.

This patchwork of expensive subscriptions, cable packages and password shares is common for many sports fans, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, and it leaves them beholden to multiple platforms at a cost no one seems to like.

About 4 in 10 people who follow sports “extremely” or “very”