Most Watched RTE Sports Programme 2008

[Tyrone Dreamer]

RTE announced Munster v All Blacks was most watched sports programme 2008 at the sports awards. The Irish Times (posted below) said Munster draw in viewers like no others. However, when you actually read the Irish Times Article it was the All Ireland finals that  had the highest average viewing figures for 2008. Munster had the peak with about 10 mins to go when people obviously realised they were close to beating the All Blacks. In terms of people actually watching the games it looks like the All Ireland Finals were the most watched sports programmes of 08'. Slightly suprsied that the hurling had a higher average viewing figures than football considering how one sided it was but I suppose if you added BBC's viewing figures the football had more.

Irish Times Article:

SPORT ON TELEVISION/RTÉ'S MOST POPULAR EVENTS: THE SEEMINGLY never-ending achievements of Munster on the rugby field, not to mention as a brand, are reflected by the RTÉ sports viewing figures for 2008.

A peak figure of 1.033 million was recorded for that cold November Tuesday (18th) when Munster, shorn of 10 international players and losing Denis Leamy to injury early on, came agonisingly close to repeating the 1978 defeat of the All Blacks - the only Irish side ever to do so - and in turn ruining the title of the long running John Breen play, Alone It Stands.

The peak was reached at 9.16pm when word clearly spread like wild fire that they were on the verge of beating New Zealand. That is until Joe Rokocoko's late try shattered the dream.

"The most impressive figure was the 689,000 that tuned in from start to finish," noted Ryle Nugent, deputy head of RTÉ TV sport and commentator on the night. "The fixture grabbed the public's attention from the outset. The choreographing of the 20-minute build-up was delivered efficiently and respectfully, including the unveiling of the plaque by the Taoiseach. The pomp and ceremony was followed by the Munster, then New Zealand haka and then the first five minutes of the match itself were played at a million miles an hour. All the ingredients were there.

"The uniqueness of the occasion made it hard to compare with the other great days at Thomond Park in recent seasons," Nugent continued. "It was an unbelievable experience. I've been at all the big Munster games at Thomond Park in the past few years but this can't be compared. It was a totally unique event. Just very different from other big games, like a European match when they are doing whatever is necessary to get out of the pool.

"It was recognition of who they are and what they are about; showing they have come full circle since 1978. As soon as people walked in the door or sat down in front of the television they knew they were in for a special, unforgettable night."

The All Blacks' trip to Limerick was a genuine departure from the norm and touring squads will not be bringing the numbers to facilitate a repeat fixture any time soon.

"It has to be an advantage that it was a Tuesday evening in November and the recession had just kicked in. Also, there was no direct competition on TV like the Champions League. It was talked up in the media at length due to the history of the fixture, so the curiosity value was there as well."

That an event organised to celebrate a 30th anniversary and open a new stadium held par with two hugely significant All-Ireland finals and outdid all other events in a significant sporting 12 months merely emphasises the growth in popularity of rugby in this country.

"Rugby is a substantially growing audience over the past five years, no doubt about it," said Nugent. "It can be measured with the success of the national team, Munster and, to a lesser extent, Leinster. It is down to the accessibility of the audience to the players, who they can potentially see walking down the street."

Rugby viewing figures were significantly down the pecking order in 2003 with the Grand Slam- deciding Six Nations encounter at Lansdowne Road against England averaging only 504,000 and placing sixth on RTÉ sports' list behind Gaelic games and soccer internationals. Munster's defeat to Toulouse in the Heineken European Cup semi-final that year attracted only 264,000.

The All Blacks match was ranked third on the average list of viewing figures behind the 709,000 who watched the hurling final between Kilkenny and Waterford, which peaked at 840,000, and the 703,000 who watched the football final between Tyrone and Kerry, which peaked at 886,000.
The Champions League final in Moscow between Manchester United and Chelsea was watched by 653,000 on RTÉ, with a peak just shy of a million viewers.

That the Irish rugby match against England at Twickenham came fifth with 553,000, peaking at 655,000, is further evidence of the growth of rugby's popularity.

The Munster viewing figures were made apparent at RTÉ's sports awards in UCD on Sunday evening, when the province was also named team of the year.

Unsurprisingly, the main individual prize on the night went to two-time Major champion in 2008 Pádraig Harrington after he regained the British Open and captured the USPGA championship.

Former former Irish Olympic athlete and Ireland hockey international Maeve Kyle was inducted into the RTÉ Hall of Fame.

[Hardy]

That's an amazing piece of reporting. Spin that would make you dizzy.

And Ryle Nugent is deputy head of RTÉ sport? Why were we never warned about that and had to find out this way?

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Wonder what the story is with RTE on this one. They made a big deal of announcing at the sports show that Munster had the highest viewing figures of the year. I've never heard them announce it any other year and in this case it wasnt really true as average viewing figures would be a greater way of measuring the success of a programme. The times headline which I haven't pasted in that article that "Munster draw in viewers like no others" is also a bit misleading.

[paddypastit]

guys, believe what you want- you are spinning just as much as RTE

[didlyi]

Looks like yee guys are as much up for the spin as anyone else. The average numbers suggest the hurling had a greater audienece and the peak suggets the rugby yet ye go on to convince yourselves that the mighty gaelic football was greater.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Wasnt spinning anything. Considering the football was on bbc and rte I think its fair to say overall it would of had a higher average audience than the hurling. Just thought it was a bit of spin by RTE saying Munster had the biggest audience of the year when in fact it was only a peak audience with 10 mins to go when people realised there might be a huge shock.

[didlyi]

dont know what your point is really. How many wathched it on th internet, in the pubs etc etc? The figures are are just figures and are simple indicators rather than facts but the fact is that rugby has become very popular and hurling is probably more popular as an entertainment sport than some nothern boys would care to imagine.

[Hardy]

Point of order - I didn't spin anything. I commented on the ridiculous spin in the IT story that accorded the headline and the major part of the comment to the peak audience figure for the rugby with only a passing reference to the more significant indicator of audience involvement, the average figure, wherein the GAA games clearly held the lead. Having spent 11 paragraphs hyping the peak audience figure for the Munster match, finally, in the twelfth paragraph it gives us the relevant fact - this match was in fact THIRD in audience popularity, behind two GAA games. Spin.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

dont know what your point is really. How many wathched it on th internet, in the pubs etc etc? The figures are are just figures and are simple indicators rather than facts but the fact is that rugby has become very popular and hurling is probably more popular as an entertainment sport than some nothern boys would care to imagine.

As one of the "Northern Boys", I don't doubt that for a second. I'd fully accept that hurling is a very enjoyable and hugely skilful and intense sport, I just happen to prefer Gaelic football and a few other sports to it but would still always watch a championship hurling match if I was in the house.

How would people view TV figures as an indication of a sports strength in real terms though? I'd have thought that attendances and participation would both be more important factors.

[pintsofguinness]

dont know what your point is really. How many wathched it on th internet, in the pubs etc etc? The figures are are just figures and are simple indicators rather than facts but the fact is that rugby has become very popular and hurling is probably more popular as an entertainment sport than some nothern boys would care to imagine.

Another freestater obsessed with northerners 

[Tyrone Dreamer]

This is the 2nd thread I have been on that guys have brought up this craic about Northern posters when it clearly had nothing to do with the thread. Like others I enjoy big hurling games. I was just suprised it had higher viewing figures considering the 1 sided nature of the final.

[Mike Sheehy]

Another freestater obsessed with northerners

Another Brit obsessed with Southerners

[Onlooker]

/quote]Stupid statement that and not what I would expect from a Kerry man.

[pintsofguinness]

Another freestater obsessed with northerners

Another Brit obsessed with Southerners

Boring and predictable Mike.

[Mike Sheehy]

Stupid statement that and not what I would expect from a Kerry man.

Boring and predictable Mike.

Yeah, and calling us "freestaters" is intelligent, exciting and unpredictable