Fan Engagement Hub
Scoring System (algorithm)
The scoring system we use to create the final table is available below.
If you have any queries, please get in touch via the contact page https://fanengagement.net/contact/
Dialogue
| Element of Fan Engagement | Criteria | Max Points | Notes | Clarifications for 2021/2022? |
| Structured Dialogue with supporters’ trust/independent supporters group | Where the representatives or directors of fans from an independent group. e.g. supporters’ trust, meets with the senior manangement/owners of the club regularly. | 30 | According to the definitions of the DCMS Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement (2017). Definition of ‘independent group’ is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms | |
| Structured Dialogue with wider group of representatives | Where representatives of fans of more than one group meet with the club on a regular basis | 15 | According to the definitions of the DCMS Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement (2017). Definition of ‘independent group’ is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms | |
| Fans Forums | Where a wide group of fans as individuals (including season ticket holders, members or unaffliated fans) meet with the club on a regular basis. If the meetings are only once a season, score is 5 points | 10 | According to the definitions of the DCMS Expert Working Group on Supporter Ownership and Engagement (2017). Definition of ‘independent group’ is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms | |
| Social Media (Twitter Help Channel) | Club provides a standalone ‘Help’ channel, or SLO (Supporter Liaison Officer) Twitter channel, which is clearly regularly used. If it isn’t regularly used for Dialogue, score is 5 points | 20 | Help’ Channels include those run by ‘supporter services’ departments/teams. SLO channels have to be run by the SLO. | SLO and Help Twitter channels now receive full points. More definition of Help and SLO channels provided |
| Other Engagement/Dialogue | Additional points available for a club providing a distinctive or alternative structures or forums for fans to engage with the club. Includes regular, ongoing programmes, or be attached to a specific or discreet project (e.g.: ground redevelopment or communications strategic work) | 5 | Examples are clubs responding to queries via main club Twitter channel (or senior officials, e.g. CEO/Chair/owners doing so), or a series of focus groups, meetings or other regular forms of engagement carried out by the club. | |
| Total points available | 80 |
Governance
| Element of Fan Engagement | Criteria | Max Points | Notes | Clarifications for 2021/2022? |
| Supporter representatives on the board of the club | An independent group of fans (e.g. supporters’ trust) has the majority of the directors (25 points); 2. Where an independent group of fans (e.g. supporters’ trust) has at least one full director (and up to an overall minority of directors) representing fans, or an independent director representing fans is elected, (15 points); 3. Where an independent group of fans (e.g. supporters’ trust) has a representative on the board (not a full director), e.g. supporters’ trust, score is (10 points) | 25 | Definition of ‘independent group’ is provided by Think Fan Engagement in glossary of terms | Scope of directors representing fans widened to include those elected by fans of the club in a ballot, e.g. Northampton Town. |
| Customer/Supporter Charter | The customer (or supporter) charter has clear information about consultation and communication, and SLO and/or supporter services (or similar), score is (20 points); Where the charter is missing some information about consultation and communication, SLO and/or supporter services (or similar) or is difficult to find, score is (10 points); Where the charter is missing, or is easy to find but has no information about consultation and communication, and SLO and/or supporter services (or similar), score is (0 points). | 20 | Customer Charters are mandated by both Premier League and EFL | |
| SLO is clearly a stand alone role | SLO (Supporter Liaison Officer) is clearly a stand alone role, with no other different responsibilities attached (e.g. ticketing, marketing, but excluding supporter services roles), (15 points); 2. Unclear whether SLO is a stand alone role as above, score is 5 points (points); 3. Clear that SLO is not a stand alone role as has other, differenty and conflicting roles attached, (0 points). | 15 | All according to the best practice issued by UEFA, and overseen/written by Football Supporters Europe/SD Europe | |
| MOU or or other legal agreement with supporters’ trust or other independent group governing relationship | Club is owned by its supporters via an independent, democratic group, e.g. a supporters’ trust or is itself a similar model (e.g. Company Limited by Guarantee with democratic elections) (20 points); an independent, democratic group, e.g. a supporters’ trust has supporter-directors or a supporter representative with an MOU underpinning the relationship with their club (15 points); Where a such a group has an MOU or other legal agreement underpinning the relationship with their club (10 points); No MOU or legal agreement (0 points) | 20 | MOUs are promoted by the Football Supporters Association, and adopted by supporters’ trusts | Definition clarified to include CLG football clubs or similar models of democratic ownership |
| Total points available | 80 |
Transparency
| Element of Fan Engagement | Criteria | Max Points | Notes | Clarifications for 2021/2022? |
| Structured dialogue meetings with supporters’ trust/independent group reporting | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | AGM reports for fan owned clubs are scored full marks. Reports have to be regular and published for full marks. Can be via OS or Trust/Group website. | N/A |
| Structured dialogue with wider group of representatives reporting | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | (as above) | N/A |
| Fans Forum reporting | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | (as above) | N/A |
| Club board meeting reports/minutes | Full report, minutes, video or audio of meeting (15); minimal report, e.g. short news item (10); Irregular reporting (posting fewer reports than meetings) (5); No reporting (0) | 15 | Club reports in full or part from its board meetings, or where a supporters’ trust that owns its club, reports are issued in full or part via its own board meetings | N/A |
| Structured dialogue meetings with supporters’ trust/independent group agenda | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | 5 | AGM agendas for fan owned clubs are scored full marks. Reports have to be regular and published for full marks. Can be via OS or Trust/Group website. Where minutes published irregularly, clubs receive 5 points | N/A |
| Structured dialogue with wider group of representatives agenda | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | 5 | (as above) | N/A |
| Fans Forum agenda | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | N/A | (as above) | N/A |
| Club board meeting agendas | Agenda published in advance (5); No agenda published (0) | 5 | Club issues agendas for its board meetings or announces them in advance; or where a supporters’ trust that owns its club reports the agenda or notice of club board meetings | N/A |
| Total points available | 80 |