YouGov Sport Launches Footballindex Tracker

YouGov Sport has launched a new tool to monitor public opinions around 40 British and European football sides and how sentiment changes each day.

The new FootballIndex tracker uses 16 separate metrics to monitor the opinions of the British public every day, revealing, for example, how Liverpool is now the UK’s favourite team, increasing their gap over Manchester United across the month of May.

Using engagement metrics like ‘Word of Mouth’, ‘Buzz’ and viewing habits, YouGov says the new tool also tracks brand health, with the public rating their perceptions of clubs’ management, players and coaches, fan culture, tradition and even the attractiveness of their football. 

As well as asking the public about their favourite teams, the tool also takes into account how likeable the public considers a club, as well as their intentions to watch a match live. 

The tool also measures the difference between a club’s fan base and the wider sentiment of football fans towards the team, explaining that Liverpool have have a large fan-base but are also ‘well-liked’. A traditionally large club like Aston Villa, however, who were promoted from the Championship last season, also have a large fan base, but are not able to attract interest from the wider public.