TV Viewing Figures

**gspain** · 17/10/2008, 9:01 AM

Wednesday night's game drew a peak audience of 752,000 and 517,000 of them watched the entire show. This is not counting those who watched in a pub or who watched on Sky Sports. However I suspect much of the difference is that those who watched the match on Sky switched over to Giles and Dunphy for analysis hence the jump.

Now the equivalent rugby figures for this year's 6 nations was 317,000 (biggest afaik). I don't have this year's GAA finals but last years were just over 500,000. Neither sport has the same tradition of crowds gathering in pubs to watch games either which doesn't get counted in the viewing figures..

Football has been RTE's top sport in all bar 2 of the last 20 years.

Now the above may all be good news except it is very very difficult to get tickets for big GAA finals and big rugby matches. The FAI had a public sale for Wednesday night. There were lots of tickets around. It didn't come close to a sellout.

It wasn't the prices either as the GAA tickets were €70 and it is €80 or €85 for rugby. Most of the tickets for wednesday were €50. Maybe allow something for the economic downturn but the big rugby and GAA games will still fill Croke Park comfortably.

So is football in this country more of a sport people play and watch on tv?

**Saint_Charlie** · 17/10/2008, 9:12 AM

Originally Posted by gspain

So is football in this country more of a sport people play and watch on tv?

Blatentley so. The empty terraces around Richmond Park, Jackman Park et al is testament to it.

**noby** · 17/10/2008, 9:17 AM

Possibly, but just a point:
€70 for a GAA match is a semi-final or final on a Sunday afternoon. This was a mid-week qualifier, possibly explaining the lower demand.

**Duggie** · 17/10/2008, 9:17 AM

well u dont see the like of robbie keane or duffer in the LOI tho now do ya. that might have something got to do with it.

**Dodge** · 17/10/2008, 9:25 AM

Originally Posted by Duggie

well u dont see the like of robbie keane or duffer in the LOI tho now do ya. that might have something got to do with it.

How would that explain the empty seats in lansdowne?

**Duggie** · 17/10/2008, 9:26 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

How would that explain the empty seats in lansdowne?

it was in response to saint charlie

**Dodge** · 17/10/2008, 9:29 AM

Ok then here's a response to your first post. You get to see the likes of Roy keane, Paul McGrath, Kevin Doyle...

Anyway, before this gets into another league of ireland bashing thread, back to the main point;

Irish people generally aren't great at attending sporting events, and with genuine concerns over how much spare income they have, they're going to pick and choose what they spend their money on

**pete** · 17/10/2008, 10:00 AM

Top programmes for adults 2007 - RTE & TV3

Rank Title Date Time TVR 000's
1 Six Nations - Rugby Ave: 2 1725 17.2 571
2 Sunday Game Live - GAA Ave: 12 1528 12.8 426
3 Six Nations - Rugby Ave: 5 1245 11.6 386
4 Euro 2008 Qualifiers - Soccer Ave: 6 1900 11.5 383

Not sure if any big football games in 2007 given how bad the team were. Rugby would have been higher last year due to Croke Park effect,

**Billsthoughts** · 17/10/2008, 10:01 AM

Ive found that myself. I found it hard to justify spending the money on the Ireland tickets anymore so gave them up. 4 tickets for 2 games is 400 euro. Add to that two years of staunton took all the joy out of going to the matches.

**jbyrne** · 17/10/2008, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Irish people generally aren't great at attending sporting events

dont agree. id say the attendance v cyprus was one of the biggest, if not the biggest in europe last wed. we consistently attract 50k + crowds to qualifiers and friendlys, the championship gaa matches are mostly hugely attended and you cant get a 6N rugby ticket unless you are the chief exec of a large bank. id say per head of population we are far better attenders than most

**Dodge** · 17/10/2008, 10:10 AM

How many big championship games are there? 5/6 max per team (Less than 18,000 at leinster hurling final!) 3 games max in the 6 nations. No more than 4 home qualifiers in a year.

Until last year magners league crowds were averaging less than 5,000 (have admittedly shot up...). GAA league games dreadful. Football crowds abysmal. And no other sport has more than a 1,000 people at it

Compare that to sporting attendances around europe

**Ordinary Fan** · 17/10/2008, 10:21 AM

It was Wednesday and Cyprus and unlike last year the tickets were tied to Poland and not Germany. There were plenty of empty seats but this is quite common when we are not playing any of the 'BIG' teams.
I would expect the same numbers for the Georga game in February but nearer a full house for Bulgeria and definatly for Italy.

**Duggie** · 17/10/2008, 10:30 AM

there was almost 55,000 at the game lads. at the old lansdown it wud only be around 35,000. it was still one of the highest attendances in europe wed night.

**tetsujin1979** · 17/10/2008, 10:43 AM

and Cyprus had no support at all, you'd imagine most other teams would have an away section

**Billsthoughts** · 17/10/2008, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

How many big championship games are there? 5/6 max per team (Less than 18,000 at leinster hurling final!) 3 games max in the 6 nations. No more than 4 home qualifiers in a year.

Until last year magners league crowds were averaging less than 5,000 (have admittedly shot up...). GAA league games dreadful. Football crowds abysmal. And no other sport has more than a 1,000 people at it

Compare that to sporting attendances around europe

why waste your breath when below are the responses you get....

Originally Posted by Ordinary Fan

It was Wednesday and Cyprus and unlike last year the tickets were tied to Poland and not Germany. There were plenty of empty seats but this is quite common when we are not playing any of the 'BIG' teams.
I would expect the same numbers for the Georga game in February but nearer a full house for Bulgeria and definatly for Italy.

Originally Posted by Duggie

there was almost 55,000 at the game lads. at the old lansdown it wud only be around 35,000. it was still one of the highest attendances in europe wed night.

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

and Cyprus had no support at all, you'd imagine most other teams would have an away section

**gspain** · 17/10/2008, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Top programmes for adults 2007 - RTE & TV3

Not sure if any big football games in 2007 given how bad the team were. Rugby would have been higher last year due to Croke Park effect,

2007 was one of the years - I think the special Olympics was the other a sporting even that topped a big football match in recent years. Can't find it but pretty sur eit was top that year.

I did a quick search on the GAA finals (Sept) and tried to find the top football match from that year. Note I may not have got the top football game from each year. I didn't check all our games once I found one that topped the best GAA figure. Rugby figures were well down until recent years.

Here's the rough list on the top sporting event on RTE each year

2007 England rugby game
2006 World Cup final football
2005 Ireland v France football
2004 France v Ireland football
2003 Switzerland v Ireland football
2002 Ireland v Spain football
2001 Ireland v Holland football
2000 Holland v Ireland football
1999 Turkey playoff football
1998 Malta football (note don't have TV3's figures and they had games then)
1997 Belgium playoff.

I don't have figures to hand before this period.

**NeilMcD** · 17/10/2008, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

Ive found that myself. I found it hard to justify spending the money on the Ireland tickets anymore so gave them up. 4 tickets for 2 games is 400 euro. Add to that two years of staunton took all the joy out of going to the matches.

You must be a big lad if you need that many seats

**pete** · 17/10/2008, 11:15 AM

While Ireland football team get comparatively big attendances it is easy when most people only attend a few games a year.

Ireland has no history of consistent attendances across the full season in any sport. Back door system means more GAA games but lower numbers at each game.

Munster Rugby issued a season ticket for Musgrave Park last year for 4 matches. Magners league averages are increasing (Munster & Leinster) but only 9 home games a season.

**geysir** · 17/10/2008, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

How many big championship games are there? 5/6 max per team (Less than 18,000 at leinster hurling final!) 3 games max in the 6 nations. No more than 4 home qualifiers in a year.

Until last year magners league crowds were averaging less than 5,000 (have admittedly shot up...). GAA league games dreadful. Football crowds abysmal. And no other sport has more than a 1,000 people at it

Compare that to sporting attendances around europe

Dodge, you haven't a clue

“The average cumulative attendance since the Qualifiers were introduced is 1,796,539, with fluctuation"
Championship crowds

**bennocelt** · 17/10/2008, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by jbyrne

dont agree. id say the attendance v cyprus was one of the biggest, if not the biggest in europe last wed. we consistently attract 50k + crowds to qualifiers and friendlys, the championship gaa matches are mostly hugely attended and you cant get a 6N rugby ticket unless you are the chief exec of a large bank. id say per head of population we are far better attenders than most

thats rubbish - just go to nay LOI game - we are the biggest cheerleaders alright - good at jumping on the bandwagon

By the way Ga tickets are way cheaper. my sister managed to watch Tyrone in Croker this year for about 25 quid - not thats value for money