Press Release: Soccer remains on top for TV viewers - May 2004  

Despite the lack of a FIFA World Cup or Olympic Games which tend to boost sports television viewing across the board, 2003 was a year of surprising growth in sports audiences, with soccer remaining firmly on top in Europe and South America. The 2003 Cricket and Rugby World Cups, IAAF World Athletics Championships, Formula One competition and UEFA Champions League provided a plethora of sports viewing opportunities during 2003.

According to the new report ´2003: One Sport Year on television in the worldª, published by leading television audience analyst Eurodata TV Worldwide, television viewers in most countries are specifically interested in watching the success (or otherwise) of their own particular domiciled team or athletes. National characteristics triumph in many markets with American Football and Aussie Rules providing free-to-air channels ABC and Ten with the highest ratings across all genres for 2003 in the USA and Melbourne region of Australia respectively.

The report ´2003: One Sport Year on television in the worldª includes the latest trends for sport on television in terms of programming (including pay-TV), audience ratings details for over 60 countries, success and failures of the year together with analysis provided by leading broadcasting and technology consultant, Rachael Church, Managing Director of consulting company ArkSports Limited.

“It was with great pleasure that I agreed to contribute to Eurodata TV’s widely-respected One Sport Year on television in the world report for 2003,” says Church. “Looking at the data, it is hardly surprising that soccer continues to dominate the top 10s in sport and indeed within television ratings for all genres, such is its global appeal. However, other sports held their own during 2003, coming out on top in eight countries compared with 12 for soccer.”

The 2003 Formula One season in particular was always going to be under the spotlight as the motorsport attempted to stymie falling television audiences of previous years and to appease disgruntled sponsors. But how did it do?

“Thanks to a number of changes to qualifying, and to the distribution of points for the top drivers, the outlook for Formula One on television looks bullish, with audiences starting to rise again – albeit gradually – in several key European markets,” says Church.

Special offer for Sport and Technology readers
Sport and Technology readers ordering ´2003: One Sport Year on television in the worldª before 31 May 2004, can buy it at a special price of €990 instead of €1290. To receive further information and an order form, e-mail 2003sport@arksports.com

About Eurodata TV
Created by MÈdiamÈtrie, Eurodata TV Worldwide distributes audience information, based on partnerships with national institutes operating people meter systems throughout the world. Eurodata TV Worldwide’s database contains more than 600 channels in 72 countries and provides an exhaustive amount of daily programme information including: content, production, international distribution and the audience levels for targeted programmes, coming directly from the authorised institute based in countries around the world. This data provides a range of services that help in the decision-making process of international professionals within the audio-visual world such as producers, distributors, broadcasters, copyright organisations and sponsors.

About ArkSports Limited
ArkSports is an independent strategic sports consulting and research company providing high quality, objective expertise to companies with sports interests in a timely and cost-effective manner. ArkSports supplies creativity and knowledge that, when combined with its strong methodology and research skills, allows its clients to make the best and most informed decisions for their businesses.
ArkSports specialises in the areas of technology, broadcasting and sponsorship. Its services include: forecasting; strategy creation; rights valuations; market sizing; workshops; competitor analysis; custom reports; and sports/territory/sector profiling. ArkSports also publishes leading e-newsletter Sport and Technology (www.sportandtechnology.com). The company’s client portfolio includes broadcasters, technology and telecoms companies, global sponsors, sports rights owners, financial services companies and bookmakers as well as sports internet companies. For further information e-mail info@arksports.com or visit www.arksports.com.

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