New research sees the Cardiff Devils listed as the sixth most loved sports team in the UK – and the most engaged team in Wales.
The study, by sports retailer Sports Direct, placed Premier League football giants Arsenal at the top, ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.
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Premier League football teams took the first five spots on the list, but the Cardiff Devils beat some of the biggest names in rugby union, cricket, athletics, and netball to take sixth place on the coveted list.
The study was based on several metrics, including brand sentiment, social followings, online social mentions, Instagram engagement rate, percentage of stadium capacity in 2019 (to consider COVID-19 limitations), and merchandise searches online. The different metrics were then given an index score on a scale of 1-10 according to proportionality.
This is welcome news for us at the Devils. As an organisation we used the pandemic to pause, re-evaluate, and strategize a more fan-centric digital approach to keep fans and corporate partners engaged while hockey was on ice.
Along with independent research and fan surveys, the Devils off-ice team have spent the last 24 months developing the online fan experience that gets fans closer to the action, while also presenting opportunities for brands looking to gain brand exposure to an incredibly loyal and engaged fan following of over 110,000 active users and nearly 200,000 online searches.
And it’s a formula that we’ve carried into the season.
“We are so pleased to see this and to be included in the same list as some of the greatest sports franchises in the world is a real honour," said Devils Managing Director Todd Kelman.
“We pride ourselves on being open and honest with our fans and trying to keep it fun and engaging whether we win or lose. I’m so proud of the staff who are the real drivers for this and of our team for buying into the vision of putting fans first, ahead of everything else.”
We would like to say a huge thank you once again to the fans who’ve stuck with us as we’ve navigated the pandemic. Your continued support allows us to keep taking the fan experience to the next level. We’d also like to thank our corporate partners who’ve continued to support us and are now reaping the benefits of aligning with a forward-thinking team.
