In the aftermath of their relegation from the top flight of English football, several players from Leeds United F.C. and Leicester City F.C. faced an unexpected setback off the pitch. A social media analysis revealed a notable decrease in followers for certain players, with American midfielder Weston McKennie leading the list of affected players.
Within days of Leeds United’s relegation, McKennie saw a decline in his Instagram followers, losing a total of 1363 devoted fans. McKennie is not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. Teammates Junior Firpo and Brenden Aaronson also experienced a decrease in their Instagram followers following the team’s relegation, losing more than 500 and 450 followers, respectively. It seems clear that the relegation had an impact on their social media presence as well.
Leeds United, known for its passionate fanbase both in the stands and online, has garnered a substantial following on social media platforms. Despite the team’s unfortunate relegation, loyal supporters continue to stand by their favourite players and express their unwavering support in various ways.
Leicester City F.C. star James Maddison also saw a decrease in followers by almost 400, leading the group of Foxes who lost followers as a consequence of their relegation. Wilfred Ndidi and Tetê also suffered a blow in the number of followers.
It is uncertain whether this development serves as evidence of the most devoted fans recognizing that the stars of their cherished clubs will not be on the teamsheets for the upcoming season or if it reflects their dissatisfaction with the players’ recent performances. Nonetheless, it is undoubtedly an uncommon occurrence to witness such a significant decline in followers.
We analysed the number of Instagram followers on the 26th & 31st of May.
