STICK fat. That's the view of most footy fans when asked whether it was OK to change the club they followed.

Although 14 per cent said it was acceptable to switch allegiances at primary school age, nearly 70 per cent of supporters surveyed in the 2017 fan survey said swapping clubs was plainly unacceptable.

Essendon, Hawthorn, Richmond and West Coast were among the most popular clubs supported, with a combined 33 per cent of fans who took part in the survey listing one of the four as their team of choice.

Only two per cent of fans combined said they followed Gold Coast or Greater Western Sydney.

Almost 80 per cent of fans ranked themselves as passionate supporters, with 39 per cent claiming they were a "one-eyed fanatic".

More than 39,000 supporters completed the survey for AFL.com.au and the AFL Record, declaring their views on various topics including the game's best players, their premiership favourite and the state of the game.

Fifty per cent of fans who took part in the survey said they attended between one and five matches per season, with five per cent going to 16 or more games.

Almost half the fans said they were club members and nearly 40 per cent said they had been influenced to support a club because of a family member.

A clear two thirds of supporters wanted the Grand Final played in the traditional daytime slot. Only nine per cent argued for a night Grand Final.

A new club based full-time in Tasmania got a decisive thumbs up. Over half those fans suggested they would want a Tasmanian club to be a new entity, rather than have an existing club relocated.

A whopping 92 per cent of supporters said they liked club banners.

More from the 2017 fan survey

• Your AFL MVP, and where Dusty will play next

• Fans say the flag is a two-horse race

• A hit and miss verdict over jumper punches

The full survey results will be published in the round 12 edition of the AFL Record, available at all venues.

Want more?

• Mid-season reviews and your verdicts

• Our mid-season All Australians: who missed out?