Libro de Actas del III Congreso Latinoamericano y del Caribe e Investigación en Educación Superior- LatinSoTL- 2025

218 In professional sports, market size significantly influences club success, though its effects are debated (Hudson, 1999). Larger market clubs attract more talent and revenue, often dominating leagues, while other economic and institutional factors also play roles (Rascher, 2005). Financial imbalance contributes to competitive disparity, threatening league fairness and smaller club viability (Toma & Campobasso, 2023). Professional leagues operate as collective businesses, but promotion-relegation pressures can lead to unsustainable spending (Gasparetto & Barajas, 2022). Consequently, a standardized index like the SCGI can guide strategic decisions and highlight structural vulnerabilities. Methods To develop the SCGI, a systematic methodology was employed to evaluate football clubs across various leagues. The SCGI is based on two core quantitative indicators: league titles and fanbase market share. League titles refer exclusively to top-tier national championships, excluding cup or international tournaments, and only titles won in the past 50 years are considered. Fanbase market share is defined as the percentage of the local population that supports a given club. Data was collected from academic publications, sports analytics platforms, and market research reports. To ensure relevance and comparability, in a second-round analysis, two additional thresholds were applied: a minimum of two league titles in the past 50 years and at least 3% local market share. Clubs were ranked based on a composite score derived from these indicators. This approach ensures that only clubs with sustained success and significant community support are included in the index. Results The SCGI aims to standardize the measurement of football club greatness using two key metrics: league titles and fanbase market share. Data was collected from 21 top- tier leagues in Europe and Latin America, with a cutoff date of December 20, 2024. Only clubs with at least one league title in the past 50 years are shown in table 1. This approach ensures comparability and relevance while addressing data limitations. The SCGI provides a transparent, equitable framework for evaluating club success across diverse contexts, enhancing understanding of competitive balance. Table 1. League Titles per Fanbase Market Share ratio (only clubs with at least 1 League Title in the past 50 years) ***AVAILABLE IN MANUSCRIPT FULL VERSION *** Table created with multiple information sources. Entire list (46) included in manuscript full version[1] To improve the SCGI, two additional thresholds were set: a minimum of two league titles in the past 50 years and at least 3% fanbase market share. These criteria ensure clubs have consistent success and significant local support. The league title threshold filters out anomalies like Hellas Verona’s 1985 win during a weak season. In contrast, Roma and Lazio earned titles in more competitive eras, granting them a spot in the SCGI. The 3% fanbase threshold reflects industry standards, linking market share to reputation and financial health (Statista Research Department, 2024). Clubs lacking support may hinder innovation, akin to 'zombie' firms (Ascani & Balachandran, 2025). Applying these thresholds halved the SCGI dataset from 227 to 112 clubs, enhancing clarity and ensuring only structurally sound, influential clubs are included.