In case you do not know, the Premier League is the most-followed league among the top 6 leagues in the world. But you may wonder why the Premier League is so popular or often referred to as the best.
This piece puts the matter to bed once and for all.
Is The Premier League Truly The Most-Watched League In The World?
Numbers never lie. Let’s prove with data.
We’ll compare the Premier League to all top 6 Leagues – Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, French Ligue 1, Dutch Eredivisie.
Consider Reading: Why Serie A Players Wear Weird Jersey Numbers
Premier League vs Other Top 6 Leagues: Worldwide Viewership
Premier League | 3 Billion |
La Liga | 2.8 Billion |
Ligue 1 | 2 Billion |
Bundesliga | 1.6 Billion |
Serie A | 1 Billion |
Eredivisie | 950 Million |
Now, that is proven with data, there is no doubt about it – the Premier League is the most-watched league in the world. But you wonder why the Premier League is so loved.
7 Reasons Why The Premier League is The Best League In The World
1. Competitiveness
The number 1 reason why the Premier League is the best league in the world is simply because of the level of competitiveness.
No other league is as competitive as the Premier League.
In other leagues, one can easily predict the winner of a league match.
The bigger teams are about 90% more likely to win against the smaller teams in other leagues, but that is not the case in the English Premier league.
A bottom-placed team can beat the 1st-placed team in the Premier League…
Not that such does not happen in other leagues, but it happens more frequently in the Premier League than in other leagues.
Also, about the level of competitiveness in the Premier League, the winners of the League are more evenly spread compared to other Leagues.
See below a chart of the Top 6 League winners in the last 10 years
Year | Premier League Last 10 winners | La Liga Last 10 Champions | Bundesliga Last 10 Champions | Serie A last 10 Winners | Ligue 1 Last 10 Winners | Eredivisie Last 10 Champions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Manchester City | Real Madrid | Bayern Munich | AC Milan | Paris Saint-Germain | Ajax Amsterdam |
2021 | Manchester City | Atlético de Madrid | Bayern Munich | Inter Milan | LOSC Lille | Ajax Amsterdam |
2020 | Liverpool FC | Real Madrid | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | Paris Saint-Germain | Ajax Amsterdam |
2019 | Manchester City | FC Barcelona | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | Paris Saint-Germain | PSV Eindhoven |
2018 | Manchester City | FC Barcelona | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | Paris Saint-Germain | Feyenoord Rotterdam |
2017 | Chelsea FC | Real Madrid | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | AS Monaco | PSV Eindhoven |
2016 | Leicester City | FC Barcelona | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | Paris Saint-Germain | PSV Eindhoven |
2015 | Chelsea FC | FC Barcelona | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | Paris Saint-Germain | Ajax Amsterdam |
2014 | Manchester City | Atlético de Madrid | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | Paris Saint-Germain | Ajax Amsterdam |
2013 | Manchester United | FC Barcelona | Bayern Munich | Juventus FC | Paris Saint-Germain | Ajax Amsterdam |
Most recently, the 2021/22 Premier League title race saw Liverpool and Manchester City lock horns together till the last matchday to seal a dramatic win.
You may also remember the 2019/20 Premier League race with a similar fight till the last day.
Also, you won’t forget the 2011/12 Premier League season when Manchester City overturned 2 goals to beat lowly QPR on the last day.
These are just a few examples of the high level of competitiveness in the league. Hardly do you witness this level of competitiveness with so much regularity in other leagues.
(Read up the shocking League winners in football history.)
2. Quality
There is no doubt about the quality of the Premier League and this is another reason why it is the best League in the world.
Talking about the quality of the Premier League, it transcends in these 4 major sectors:
A. Football
The quality of football in the Premier League is second to none.
Almost all Premier League teams are entertaining to watch because, in most cases, it turns out to be an end-to-end kind of match.
Even if sometimes the big teams dominate possession, the smaller teams in most cases score too, or at least put up a strong fight.
In other leagues, however, the quality of football is too one-sided.
Consider Reading: How Many Premier League Matches Are There In a Season?
B. Team
The quality of each Premier League team is never in question and this contributes to the level of competitiveness in the League.
Furthermore, consistent performance of the Premier League teams in the Champions League over the years is another strong indication of the quality of the League.
C. Infrastructure
Another good reason why the Premier League is the best League in the world is because of its unmatched and sophisticated infrastructure.
For example, the Premier League has more standard stadiums in the League than other top 6 Leagues.
D. Officiating
Ok, this may sound a bit controversial, but the truth is that Premier League referees are top quality.
This explains why over 80 number of English Referees have featured in UEFA and FIFA competitions in the last 10 years.
3. Audience
As proven above, the Premier League is the most popular League in the world as it attracts interest from over 3 Billion viewers worldwide.
Given its large audience, more people are being attracted to the Premier League out of curiosity. They want to know why it is so loved, follow it and fall in love.
4. Money
Of course, money is another huge reason why people love the Premier League.
League | Revenue per club (£m) | % Total club revenue |
---|---|---|
Premier League | £143.2m | 53% |
La Liga | £66.6m | 42% |
Bundesliga | £60.3m | 34% |
Serie A | £54.0m | 47% |
Ligue 1 | £31.1m | 37% |
Eredivisie | NA | NA |
The money in the Premier is more evenly spread across all teams.
So, more Premier League teams can afford to buy exciting players from other top leagues.
It explains why Wolves, for example, can afford to sign Porto’s best midfielder. In reality, top players in other leagues comfortably sign for mid-table or lower Premier League teams.
In addition, the big 6 Premier League teams always bring in the most sought-after players in other leagues. This further adds to the excitement and explains why people love the Premier League.
In other leagues, only 1 or 2 teams are able to make a marquee signing that excites fans.
5. TV Coverage
Report has it that the Premier League is being watched in about 212 countries. That is because many broadcasters are willing to pay for showing the Premier League to their local audience.
Certainly, no other league in the world has as much TV coverage as the Premier League.
This is yet another reason why the Premier League is the best league in the world.
6. Sponsorship
There are more brands willing to pay a huge amount of money to the Premier league or PL teams just to get their product or service in front of viewers.
The total sponsorship deals in the Premier League in the 2021/22 season alone (all clubs combined) is worth £5 Billion.
In Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and France, brands do not pay as much money as they pay for the Premier League or PL teams to promote their products or services.
The reason is simple. The Premier League has the most audience and there’s a high chance of a better ROI.
It is important to mention that sponsorship is one of the ways football clubs make money too.
7. Physicality
Many players who come to Spain or Germany especially express how surprised they are about the level of physicality in the Premier League.
In the top 6 leagues, it is only fair to say that the Premier League is the most physical.
Physicality, on the other hand, adds to the thrill and excitement. Hence, it’s a valid reason why the Premier League is the best league in the world.
Conclusion
It is clear that the Premier League is the most-watched league in the world and we have considered 6 main reasons why people love the Premier League so much.
To reiterate, these are the reasons why the Premier League is the best league in the world:
- Competitiveness
- Quality
- Large Audience
- Money
- TV Coverage
- Sponsorship
- Physicality
For now, the Premier League topples all other leagues – in Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands and the reasons are obvious.
Further Readding:
- Premier League Loan Rules Explained [With Illustrations]
- Best Premier League Center Backs
- Best Premier League Midfielders Of All Time [Must Read]
- MLS vs English Premier League: Major Difference Explained
- Goalkeepers Who Scored In The English Premier League.
- Premier League Referees Appointment