BIGGER than the AFL grand final. Bigger than Makybe Diva winning the Melbourne Cup.

[chileman]

World Cup biggest show for SBS

From: AAP


November 17, 2005


Up to 3.4 million Australians tuned into SBS to watch Australia beat Uruguay in the World Cup qualifying match last night, according to figures released by OzTAM.

Viewing figures for the match averaged out at 2.5 million.

But the peak viewing figure easily eclipse the three million who watched this year's AFL grand final and the 2.6 million who tuned into the 2005 Melbourne Cup.

"Last night millions of fans – our biggest audience ever – witnessed a moment of sporting history on SBS," SBS managing director Shaun Brown said.

"We are delighted to be the official broadcast partner of the Socceroos who have now finally broken their 32-year drought."
Mr Brown said the figures did not include the millions of Australians who watched the match in pubs, clubs and big screens at live venues around the country.


And a further 15,000 people watched the live video webcast of the event.

The result was the highest for SBS, following on from the success of the broadcaster's coverage of the recent Ashes cricket tests.

SBS will replay the Socceroos match tomorrow night at 7.30pm (AEDT).

Australia's defeat of Uruguay qualifies the team for the 2006 World Cup in Germany – soccer's greatest prize – which will also air on SBS.

The victory ended more than three decades of frustration for the Socceroos, who had not qualified for the World Cup finals since 1974. SBS will also air all Socceroos matches in the lead-up to next year's World Cup

 

[Stelios Giannakopoulos]

I think the figures are even higher than that, it is just far too hard to calculate how many people watched the game at clubs/pubs/live venues/at a mates house with a large bunch of people.

 

[meltiger]

I think the figures are even higher than that, it is just far too hard to calculate how many people watched the game at clubs/pubs/live venues/at a mates house with a large bunch of people.

Precisely, how many were oustide the stadium? Add the 5-10k that were in Fed Square down here ... That's before you factor pubs/clubs.

 

[El Diablo]

How misleading. Here's a better article on it http://www.terrytelevision.com/inde...ll&id=1132195530&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

 

[Southern Rooster]

How misleading. Here's a better article on it http://www.terrytelevision.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1132195530&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Most of Sydney wasn't home I reckon. Thieves paradise last Wednesday.

 

[El Diablo]

No news of mass break ins

 

[TiTTieS_[CNTDN]]

Gee, that article did a lot to convince me .... NOT. All of the events it listed, it seems, had a much greater build up to them than the world cup qualifiers. For example, the NRL grand final is an established competition with highly successful marketing a huge driving force. There is a build up to it of about 30 weeks which are all saturated with media and print coverage. Then the game itself is usually one of the best all year - including the origin, grudge and crunch matches. But then, the quality of the WC qualifier was just as good. It didn't, however, get the same sort of coverage in the lead up. It may have got a good three weeks coverage - mainly on SBS - compared to the above mentioned 30 weeks for the NRL.

But at the end of the day, who really cares? Watch the sport that you want to watch - if you are lucky enough to be able to.

 

[Raider Ultra]

EVERY single person I have spoken to since last Wednesday watched the game at a club. Barely anyone watches it at home.

 

[Broncos fan]

For Gods sake its the world cup for crying out loud. Who cares about AFL only Victorians does and I dont give a sh*t about the Melbourne cup either. Anyway every country in the world thrives to make it to the world cup.

Though thats just the qualifiers, lets better save our energy for the world cup next year!!

 

[The Ball]

Don't forget about all the Aussies in other countries around the world.
If you've ever lived abroad you'll know Aussies get more patriotic than usual and go along to a bar to support the green and gold, even for sports they don't usually follow.