Rugby, Soccer and GAA lived up to their billing as the big three when Ireland’s Top 20 Sports broadcasts of 2014 were unveiled yesterday.
The winning of the Grand Slam and final game for Brian O’Driscoll pushed the RBS 6 Nations decider between France and Ireland to the top spot with a peak audience of 891,000 tuning in to the game on RTÉ2.
In second place was the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina. RTÉ2’s live coverage of the final from Rio De Janeiro was watched by 859,000 people.
831,000 tuned into the All Ireland Football Final between Kerry and Donegal, on the third Sunday in September, topping the 796,000 that watched arguably the greatest ever game of hurling two weeks earlier.
In a development that will be noted by sporting authorities and sponsors though the replayed Hurling final, played on a Saturday evening lost almost a quarter of that viewership coming in at 615,000.
Ireland’s narrow defeat to England at Twickenham in the Six Nations came in at number 5 with 717,000 viewers, ahead of the The Netherlands Vs Argentina World Cup Semi Final, thereplayed Football semi final between Kerry and Mayo and the Quarter Final between Dublin and Donegal
“2014 was another great year for sports coverage with major events such as the Six Nations, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and GAA Championships in particular delivering great entertainment to huge audiences on RTÉ One and RTÉ2,” said RTÉGroup Head of Sport, Ryle Nugent.
“With more choice than ever before available to Irish TV audiences in this highly competitive market we are particularly delighted that all of the top 20-rated sports programme of the year were on RTÉ and that viewers chose RTÉ Sport as their home of live sport in 2014.”
It was an impressive performance by the broadcaster as almost all of the big performers were not exclusively broadcast on the channels. Sky’s alternative on GAA will have boosted the finals numbers over 1,000,000 taking the UK into account and RTÉ went head to head with big budget BBC productions for the World Cup matches as well but home commentary and analysis, as well as that becoming part of the national conversation are obviously key elements.
2015 will see TV3 return to the top table with coverage of the Rugby World Cup but for now RTÉ can bask in a clean sweep.
Image Credit: Inpho.ie
