More Than 70% Of UK Watched England Versus France
More than 70% of the British population watched at least some of England’s heart-wrenching Euro 2004 clash against France earlier this month, according to the latest research from media agency Carat.
The study of more than 1,000 people shows that 74% of men and 68% of women watched the game, which saw France clinch a sensational comeback victory over England in the first round of the Euro 2004 football championship (see 20.7 Million Watch England Lose Out To France).
ITV’s coverage of the highly anticipated clash was seen by almost 80% of people aged between 25 and 34. This is good news for advertisers who are understood to have paid around £350,000 for a 30-second spot during the game (see ITV Set To Score £6 Million From England Game).
Viewing varied widely from region to region with only 56% of those in Wales and the West watching the game, compared to 78% of those in the North of England. Almost 70% of Scots tuned in to witness England’s eleventh hour defeat.
According to Carat, 79% of all viewers watched the game at home, with a further 8% tuning in at a friends house. Football fans aged between 16 and 24 were the least likely to watch at home and 26% of this age group ventured to the pub to catch the action.
Half of all those who watched the game drank alcohol to calm their nerves and 35% of viewers nervously munched their way through crisps and peanuts. Around 7% of viewers did the housework at the same time and a further 7% slept through part of the match.
Of those who didn’t watch the game, more than a third tuned in to either Come Dancing on BBC1, Election Night on BBC2, Tea with Mussolini on Channel 4, or a John Travolta film on Five. A further 34% used the internet, 7% went for a walk and 2% decided that having sex was a better alternative.
Euro 2004 is proving to be the most popular football tournament since the 1998 World Cup and audiences are on average 8% up on Euro 2000. The latest unofficial overnight figures from BARB show that more than 20 million people tuned in to BBC One on Monday to watch England qualify for the quarter finals of the European championships after securing a 4-2 victory over Croatia (see More Than 20 Million Watch England’s Victory Over Croatia).
Carat: 020 7430 6000 www.carat.com
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