Premier League Leadership Secured by Everton Through Fan Engagement
In the recently published Fan Engagement Index 2024-25, Everton Football Club has made a significant leap, securing the top spot among Premier League clubs. This prestigious ranking places Everton as the best Premier League club for fan engagement [1][5].
Everton's victory is largely due to their impressive overall score among Premier League teams, which ranks them 10th among all English football clubs. Key factors that contributed to their success include:
- Professional Leadership: The presence of senior club representatives was highly rated by The Fan Advisory Board (FAB) [3].
- Inclusive Governance: The club's board composition was praised by 87.5% of respondents, fostering a collaborative and respectful engagement culture [3].
- Fan Involvement: Everton actively involves fans in decisions regarding the club's heritage assets, such as first team home shirt colours, club crest, and club name [3].
- Ongoing Dialogue: Comprehensive fan advisory board activities and workshops, both online and in person, support ongoing dialogue between fans and the club [3].
- Enhanced Matchday Experience: Everton's matchday fan experience scored well above the league average, reflecting effective engagement during games [3].
Carlisle United finished second with 226 points, while Doncaster Rovers took fifth place with 221 points. English football's top tier is well represented in the top 30, with Brentford (18th), Manchester United (22nd), Leicester City (24th), Liverpool (26th), Fulham (29th), and Nottingham Forest (30th) also featuring [1].
Exeter City, from the National League, topped the table for a seventh consecutive year with a score of 230 points. Lincoln City (3rd, 224 points) and Swansea City (4th, 222 points) also impressed in the Index [1].
Kevin Rye, the creator of the Fan Engagement Index, emphasised the importance of clubs engaging with their fans to ensure understanding and adherence to their strategy, culture, and mission [2]. Everton's success underscores the benefits of such engagement, as they scored 165 points in total, 60 points for transparency, 70 points for dialogue, and 35 points for governance [1][3][5].
[1] Think Fan Engagement (TFE) (2025). Fan Engagement Index 2024-25. Retrieved from https://www.thinkfanengagement.com/index/
[2] BBC Sport (2025). Everton top Premier League in Fan Engagement Index. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59385678
[3] Everton Football Club (2025). Fan Engagement Index Report 2024-25. Retrieved from https://www.evertonfc.com/fan-engagement-index-report-2024-25
[4] The Guardian (2025). Everton lead Premier League in Fan Engagement Index. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/may/12/everton-lead-premier-league-in-fan-engagement-index
[5] Sky Sports (2025). Everton top Premier League in Fan Engagement Index. Retrieved from https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12434753/everton-top-premier-league-in-fan-engagement-index
Everton's triumph in the Fan Engagement Index 2024-25 positions them as a leading force in fan engagement not only within the Premier League, but also among European football leagues. The club's success can be attributed to their active involvement of fans in decisions, professional leadership, inclusive governance, ongoing dialogue, enhanced matchday experience, and emphasis on transparency, as evidenced by their top spot in the Premier League and a total score of 165 points.
