FC Barcelona is again the most media covered club in the world
A study by the University of Navarra has revealed that Barça is the football club that received most media coverage worldwide for the fourth year on the run, this time ahead of Real Madrid and Chelsea in second and third spots. The study also found that Leo Messi was the player who received most media coverage, also for the fourth successive year, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba.
Barcelona (FCB).- FC Barcelona were again the football club with most global media coverage last season, getting a score of 103 in the study’s scoring system, well ahead of second place Real Madrid on 79.5 and Chelsea, in third with 63. The Champions League win in Munich helped the Londoners to leap from sixth to third spot, but Barça’s leading global media position remains unchallenged. This is the seventh such report compiled by University of Navarra Professor of Economics Francesc Pujol and for the fourth consecutive year, Barça have come out on top of the study, something which the author explains makes the Catalan club an excellent ambassador for city and Catalonia.
Barça’s leading media position is also an indication of its commercial power, with merchandising and sponsorship income growing alongside the creation of a global brand and Pujol points to the fact that Barça have moved from an income of €290 million in 2007 to an expected €461 million this year, which is an increase of 58% within the context of a global economic slowdown.
Messi - Number One
Leo Messi also maintains his position as the player with most global media coverage for the fourth year on the run. The study value of 28.8 points is based on a season long study of players in the top five European leagues and the Champions League and means that Messi has appeared in the media nearly 29 times more often than the average player in these competitions. Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 20.7 points and Didier Drogba, with 12.7, came behind Messi. The study concludes that “in the last four years, the player with most media coverage has received FIFA’s Ballon D’Or Award”
The ten leading clubs in terms of media coverage
The study’s results showed this top ten of football clubs in terms of their global media coverage:
1.- FC Barcelona, 103 points
2.- Real Madrid, 79,5 points
3.- Chelsea, 63 points
4.- AC Milan, 51,6 points
5.- Manchester United, 48,1
6.- Bayern Munich, 45,1
7.- Manchester City, 44
8.- Napoli, 39,5 points
9.- Inter Milan, 38,8 points
10.- Juventus, 31, 9 points