Barclays Launches the 2008 Barclays Global Fans Report

Barclays, the official global title sponsor of the Premier League published its 2008 Global Fans Survey.

This year’s report demonstrates that the appetite for Barclays Premier League football worldwide shows no sign of abating, with a staggering 32,000 fans from 185 countries worldwide having taken the survey.

Some 87% of overall respondents in Europe rank the Barclays Premier League as the football competition they follow most closely. Six per cent said the UEFA Champions League. The atmosphere of games/passion of the fans is the most appealing aspect of Barclays Premier League football for European fans (31%), followed by style of football (23%), competitiveness (14%) and players (10%). Some 94% of European football fans consume the League via TV, and 85% use desktop computers to keep up to date with news and information on the Barclays Premier League.

In Africa 88% of overall respondents rank the Barclays Premier League as the football competition they follow most closely. Nine per cent said the UEFA Champions. Players are the most appealing aspect of Barclays Premier League football for African fans (24%), followed by style of football (22%), and atmosphere/passion of the fans (21%). Some 90% consume the League via TV, and 72% use desktop computers to keep up to date with news and information on the Barclays Premier League.

In Asia and the Middle East, 90% of overall respondents rank the Barclays Premier League as the football competition they follow most closely. 8% said the UEFA Champions League. Competitiveness and style of football (20%) are the most appealing facets of Barclays Premier League football for Asian fans, followed by atmosphere/passion of the fans (19%). In the Middle East, 24% of fans ranked style of football as the most popular aspect.

Manchester United continues to be the most popular club globally (26%), marginally ahead of Liverpool, which has closed the gap significantly since the previous Global Fans Report in 2005, when 18% said they supported the Anfield outfit.

Barclays first produced the first Global Fans Survey back in 2005 when over 26,000 fans across the globe provided a unique insight into their lifestyles and mindsets. Fans completed the survey at http://survey. premierleague.com throughout September and October 2008. The highest number of responses came from Europe (43%), followed by Asia (17%), North America (15%) and Oceania (12%).