LaLiga Study Reveals Family Influence on Football Fandom in Spain

omidbasir- LaLiga has published a study examining the origins of football fandom and its consumption patterns among Spaniards. The findings indicate that 52% of Spaniards credit their affection for football to family influences.

The results reveal that four out of ten Spaniards (40%) begin following football due to direct influence from their parents, with seven out of ten children supporting the same club as their father or mother. Notably, 4% of respondents represent what is termed “reverse inheritance,” where their passion for football is passed down from their children, grandchildren, or nephews.

Regarding specific clubs, the two teams with the highest percentage of fans who acknowledge their familial ties in passion are Sevilla (64.85% of respondents) and Real Madrid (57.29%). According to LaLiga, parental influence is most prevalent across all teams, particularly noted with Valencia (51.92%), Sevilla (47.84%), and Athletic (46.31%). Additionally, Betis stands out as the team with the highest intergenerational fan inheritance, with 24.01% of supporters inheriting their allegiance from grandparents to grandchildren, well above the average of 15.34%.

When it comes to maternal influence, Sporting emerges as the club most frequently passed down from mothers, with 27.01% of fans citing this source. In terms of reverse inheritance, supporters of Deportivo, Girona, and Mallorca are more likely to develop their allegiance through their children, a trend attributed to the recent progress of these clubs.

A total of 16% of fans report inheriting their passion for their club from a female relative. This transmission is particularly prominent in the Balearic Islands (24.6%) and Catalonia (17.5%), where mothers, grandmothers, or sisters play a significant role.

Beyond familial ties, the study also considers geographical factors in team selection. According to the survey, 24% of Spaniards connect their fandom to the proximity of the stadium or club, a tendency that is especially strong in regions such as Euskadi (37%), Asturias (33%), and Comunidad Valenciana (28.4%).

Half of the Spaniards attend matches with their partner, while 46% do so with their children. This percentage rises in the Canary Islands (55%), Asturias (52%), and Madrid (50%).

Andalusians and residents of Murcia are more likely to attend matches with their fathers, surpassing the national average (29% and 40%, respectively, compared to 24.75%). The Balearic Islands (33.4%), Comunidad Valenciana (33%), and Cantabria (31%) show higher attendance rates with female companions, while the national average stands at 28.5%. Additionally, the Balearic Islands and Cantabria see a significant presence of grandparents in the stands.

How and where do Spaniards watch football? According to this study, 87% of fans report watching matches at least once a month from the comfort of their homes. Furthermore, 57% say they visit a bar at least once a month to watch games, while 37% claim to attend matches at the stadium within the same time frame.