The Premier League Fan Engagement Survey for season 2021/22 is a hybrid version of the Matchday Fan Experience survey last run during 2019/20 when fans were unable to attend matches.
It examines fans’ attitudes towards their club and the overall matchday experience, alongside club and league engagement metrics with 2,929 Albion fans surveyed and 33,092 across the Premier League.
As a result, Brighton & Hove Albion respondents are once again very positive towards the club, with the second-placed Matchday Fan Experience Score up from third place in 2019/20.
The majority of Albion respondents strongly agree that the club is well-run (with little change from season 2019/20). Moreover, there are many measures on which Brighton performs within the top three clubs in the Premier League: how welcome fans are made to feel upon entering the ground (2nd), the matchday programme (3rd), announcements in the stadium (3rd), Wi-Fi connectivity and mobile phone signal (2nd), stadium cleanliness and toilet facilities (3rd), quality and range of food and drink on offer (2nd). Even better, the club finished in first place for the provision of digital ticketing and top for the performance of our ticket office staff.
The family-friendly environment at the Amex Stadium also comes in for praise, with Brighton receiving the second highest score on this measure. Our stewards received the second highest score in the league, too, while Albion match attenders who have witnessed abuse at matches (whether homophobic, racist, sexist or disability abuse) are significantly more likely Premier League respondents overall to say that their club performs well in dealing with those incidents when they arise.
When it comes to the club’s response to COVID-19 safety procedures, Albion match attenders are once again positive towards the club. They are significantly more likely than Premier League respondents overall to be aware of the COVID-19 certification requirements and to have had their own COVID-19 status checked when attending matches. The respondents also believe the club has supported fans and local communities throughout the pandemic.
“Despite the challenges of COVID-19, and our proactive response to keeping people safe with consistent pass checking, even when it wasn’t mandatory, we are absolutely delighted to finish second in the latest Premier League Fan Engagement Survey,” said chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber.
“We are delighted to score so highly in a number of categories and special mention must go to Jenny Gower and her team for finishing first for the provision of digital ticketing and for the performance of our ticket office staff, in what has been, at times, a very testing environment.
“Indeed, it has been another very challenging season, so we are absolutely thrilled with all our results and great credit must go to each and every member of staff, both full-time and matchday, who have worked so diligently and so professionally to ensure our operations run as smoothly as possible.
“We are a club that prides itself on doing things the right way, to make the Amex Stadium a safe and welcoming environment for all fans, and these results are a true indicator that we continue to perform at a level that matches the league that we play in.
“We have again set the bar high, but the work doesn’t stop here. It’s our intention to ensure we maintain and improve, where necessary, our levels moving forward, in the coming weeks, months and years.”
Albion chairman Tony Bloom added, “I am absolutely thrilled with the results of the Premier League Fan Engagement Survey for season 2021/22. To have scored so highly, yet again, is a wonderful reflection of the hard work put in by all our staff, led by Paul Barber and our executive committee.
“These have been truly difficult times for our supporters and the wider community, who are always at the forefront of our thoughts, and it should also be noted that our staff are part of that community as well.
“They, too, have experienced tough times throughout the pandemic but have shown true professionalism and endeavour to continue working so hard for this football club, to ensure we’ve been able to provide the best fan experience possible. Congratulations to each and every one of you.”