RTÉ Television topped the tables with sports fans in 2012, with huge audiences tuning in to the biggest sporting events throughout the year on RTÉ.
It may not have been easy viewing but there was plenty of anticipation and RTÉ Two’s coverage of the Republic of Ireland’s opening match in the Euro Championship Finals has emerged as the most watched TV sports programme of 2012.
The average of 1,235,700 viewers watching as the boys in green took on Croatia in Poznan was the highest sporting audience since the FIFA World Cup in 1994 when Jack Charlton and Ray Houghton were the national heroes.
The game against Spain took second place with 1,144,900 viewers watching RTÉ Two for the entire 2½ hours of coverage of the game including pre and post match analysis and Après Match.
RTE Two’s The Sunday Game Live coverage of All Ireland Senior Football between Donegal and Mayo was the third most watched programme with 974,000 viewers.
Joining them in the Top 10 were RTÉ Two’s coverage of the Republic of Ireland’s final group match in Euro 2012 as well as the final of that tournament between Spain and Italy; the All Ireland Hurling Final and replay between Galway and Kilkenny; the London 2012 Olympics coverage featuring Katie Taylor’s Gold medal-winning performance, notable by being the only programme during a weekday afternoon to make the list;  the RBS 6 Nations match between Wales and Ireland and the All Ireland Hurling Semi-Final between Tipperary and Kilkenny.
The remaining Top 20 sports programmes included RTÉ’s coverage of the All Ireland Football Semi-Final  between Mayo and Dublin; the other All Ireland Hurling Semi-Final between Galway and Cork; Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations Rugby clashes with England, France and Scotland; the Euro 2012 Semi Final between Portugal and Spain and Quarter Final as England clashed with Italy; the Republic of Ireland’s 2014 World Cup Qualifier against the Faroe Islands and the postponed RBS 6 Nations France v Ireland match coverage.
The only spot in the top 20 sports programmes that was not broadcast by RTE was BBC 1’s coverage of the Olympic Closing Ceremony.
“2012 was an unbelievable year for sports coverage and with more choice than ever before available to Irish TV audiences in this highly competitive market we are particularly heartened that the vast majority of viewers choose to watch their sport on RTÉ Television,” said RTE Group Head of Sport, Ryle Nugent.
The point was made at the Sport for Business Members’ Round Table last November that despite the multitude of coverage and channel now carrying sport, there would always remain a place for a national broadcaster carrying the main event.  Higher fees, advertising revenues and production values were key to this but the most important factor was that it is only channels like RTE and the BBC that can genuinely stir and guide the national conversation.
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