The importance of fan support for Sports Clubs is fundamental, as it has always been said, the club belongs to its members, but this phrase can be analyzed and divided into two paths.
From an economic perspective, fans (not just members) continue to be the engine of any club because with a quick look we realize these have a high direct impact on Merchandising and Ticketing revenues. When we talk about indirect revenues related to Fan Support, the biggest sources of income for clubs today are related to sponsorships, partnerships, or television broadcasts. As for player transfers, our opinion is that the prices would also be much lower than those currently practiced.
But looking at the Fan's real role, it is to support the club, as UEFA states on its website "Supporters are the lifeblood of professional football - they are the identity of the clubs. Owners, coaches and players change, but the fans remain loyal. " and it is in this perspective that this analysis focuses.
Using the TOP-10 UEFA League Coefficient Ranking as a comparative term, we intend to understand whether the level of Fan Support expressed in attendance stadiums if the EFL Championship (2nd English Division) can be compared with the best leagues in the world.
In the analysis of total fans in stadiums in the last 5 seasons, it is only important to remember that not all leagues have the same number of teams, which ends up influencing the total number of games at the end of the season.
In the comparison between the average capacity of stadiums in the last 5 seasons, by leagues, with the% of occupancy, it is intended to show the reality of each one of them in terms of infrastructures and their use.
In the comparison between the average number attendance and the% of occupation of the stadiums, it is intended to have a more complete perspective in order to be able to make comparisons between leagues, in a broader and more credible way, trying to better understand the average occupation in the stadiums and if this percentage value translates into a large volume of people, or if it is only the infrastructure that is limited.
With the data presented above, several things are noticeable:
- Firstly, it is clear that the Bundesliga and the Premier League are the leagues in Europe that have the better Fan Support, the question is whether it will be beneficial for the German League to maximize this aspect, going from 18 to 20 teams in the competition, as the English League does.
- Secondly, the initial question is also answered, yes, the EFL Championship with the values shown above, both in terms of occupancy%, as well as in stadium attendance values, competes with the best calling in Europe, which is reveals incredible for a 2nd division.
- Last but not least, it is also clearly visible that leagues outside the TOP-5 demonstrate some difficulties in bringing fans to the stadium. The question we leave you with is, which club has the best supporters in the world and why?
Soccer Analytics - Data Analysis
Comentários