Manchester United, Buriram United top football favourites in Thai pre-season survey
As the fervent anticipation for the 2023-24 football season begins to resonate amongst fans in Thailand, a recent survey divulges that Manchester United from the English Premier League, and Buriram United from Thai League 1, are the crowd favourites. This comes from a research study conducted by the renowned National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA).
The study, which ran between July 13 and 19, utilised telephone interviews to gather data from 2,500 people. These respondents, from age 15 upwards, were derived from varied backgrounds in terms of education, occupational status, and income brackets. The survey aimed to glean insights into their viewpoints on the imminent 2023-24 football season of both the English Premier League and Thai League 1.
When asked about the English Premier League, the survey revealed that just over 61% of the respondents kept a keen eye on the league’s progression, leaving close to 39% uninterested. Upon closer inspection of the avid football followers – 1,538 surveyed – nearly 85% admitted to sporadic attention towards the matches, while approximately 15% were devoted fans.
When it came to people’s favourite teams, Manchester United emerged triumphant with 34.59% backing them, closely followed by Liverpool with 31.79%. Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal trailed behind with 7.09%, 5.72% and 5.27% respectively. Additional teams like Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and others made up a slender 1.37%. However, 14.17% indicated no particular preference.
Switching focus to the Thai League 1, respondents demonstrated a smaller, albeit significant, interest with 53.80% acknowledging following the league. Of these followers (all 1,345 of them) nearly 91% claimed to intermittently watch the games, contrasting to nearly 9% who regularly followed the league. Unsurprisingly, Buriram United bagged the top spot, garnering 36.13% support, while Port FC and Muang Thong United claimed the next spots with 12.49% and 11.67% respectively.
True Bangkok United, Ratchaburi FC, along with others formed a minuscule 3.88%. While the scene revealed various allegiances, a noteworthy 21.19% chose to not favour any specific team.
This comprehensive survey paints a vivid picture of sports fan preferences, highlighting the ongoing popularity of powerhouses Manchester United and Buriram United as they continue to command popular attention in the world of football. As teams prep for the forthcoming season, the pulse of anticipation steadily hums on.
