La Liga clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona topped the recently released list of clubs with the highest brand index value according to Brandtix. The two Spanish clubs are way ahead of their European counterparts.
Real Madrid had also topped the Forbes’ list of most valuable teams released earlier this month. With a value of $3.6 billion, they were only second to NFL team Dallas Cowboys in the lust of most valuable sports teams. Barcelona were valued at $3.5 billion with both clubs seeing a 12% increase from the previous year.
How does the Brandtix Index work?
The index takes into account a number of factors varying from performances on the pitch and off-field factors such as social media reach. It is not just restricted to the number of followers, though, as even the quality of discussion is considered – i.e. whether the discussions on social media see positive or negative vibes.
Statistics of players are collected using Opta while the reach on the three biggest social media networks – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – was researched. Moreover, Lexalytics analysed the social sentiment of the fans towards their clubs and also looked into how many discussions took place apart from measuring their quality.
Premier League clubs dominate top 10
Among the top 10, five clubs are from the Premier League. English clubs have benefited from a well-marketed league which has broadened its fan base with lucrative television deals which also see the money trickle down to the clubs. As a result, the clubs have improved interaction with their own fans as they see them as valuable assets in increasing their brand value and social footprint.
Surprisingly, Manchester United topped the list of EPL clubs in spite of finishing outside the top four and missing out on the Champions League. The Red Devils have seen a lot of negative sentiment this season with ‘#LvGOut’ trending on Twitter and Facebook on many occasions – especially after they failed to get out of their Champions League group in December while simultaneously slipping out of the top four.
Chelsea also score high on the Brandtix Index in spite of having a disastrous season where they failed to defend the EPL title and also finished the season in 10th place, missing out on European competition altogether.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City make up the other three EPL clubs in the top 10. From the other major leagues, only Bayern Munich (Bundesliga), Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1) and Juventus (Serie A) make the list.
| Rank | Club | League | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Madrid | La Liga | 754 |
| 2 | Barcelona | La Liga | 752 |
| 3 | Manchester United | EPL | 706 |
| 4 | Chelsea | EPL | 686 |
| 5 | Arsenal | EPL | 669 |
| 6 | Bayern Munich | Bundesliga | 668 |
| 7 | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 632 |
| 8 | Liverpool | EPL | 631 |
| 9 | Juventus | Serie A | 627 |
| 10 | Manchester City | EPL | 616 |
