RTE’s television viewing figures for Sunday’s All Ireland were down on 2011 but were the second highest in the past decade and showed a healthy 32% increase on the average viewing figure over the five years between 2006 and 2010.
Last year’s numbers were boosted by the presence of Dublin in a first final since 1995.
The viewing figures on Sunday may have been helped by its being an overcast day and also it following on from a high profile English Premier League clash between Liverpool and Manchester United on Sky.
The peak audience hit 1,397,400 while an impressive average of 960,500 watched the entire programme from start through the post match analysis.
An additional 43,000 live streams through RTE digital had been served ahead of yesterday though no figures are available for how many might have viewed the game through the different channels it was available on internationally.
Those numbers will be vital in the renegotiation of the next three year broadcast deal that is due to start in the next few weeks and apply from the 2014 Championships.
The victorious Donegal team arrived home last night to a 30,000 strong crowd in Donegal Town.  It took until 1015 to make it through the villages and towns en route, two hours longer than was originally scheduled but the rain and the late hour were no deterrent to fans determined to enjoy every second of the homecoming.
At each stop the one song that rung out was ‘Jimmy’s winning matches.’ If you have yet to join the more than 500,000 that have viewed the video on You Tube, you can catch it on the Sport for Business channel.
Sport for Business will host a Members’ Round Table on the subject of broadcasting on Tuesday, November 8th.
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