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England’s unexpectedly prolonged stay in the tournament boosted ratings for both channels Fifa World Cup: a combined 7.3 million watched the final across BBC1 and ITV The Fifa World Cup dominated TV viewing this summer and offered, albeit briefly, a sense of cohesion during these anxious times. [...]in that first, intense fortnight, share of all channels beside the five PSB networks dropped markedly on the same period last year especially among male viewers - a key component of their audience profile. In revenue terms ITV plc had something of the perfect storm - as ITV2’s Love Island busily hoovered up masses of 16-24 adults, the main channel gathered loads of advertiser-friendly, equally hard-to-reach male audiences. BBC1’s spread of 19 daytime matches averaged 4.4 million/43% for individuals, 500,000/62% for men 16-34 and 1.4 million/58% ABC1 men, helped by two England matches and the World Cup final in daytime.
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World Cup analysis: England’s unexpectedly prolonged stay in the tournament boosted ratings for both channels
Fifa World Cup: a combined 7.3 million watched the final across BBC1 and ITV
The Fifa World Cup dominated TV viewing this summer and offered, albeit briefly, a sense of cohesion during these anxious times.
For 32 days, television became the place to watch excitement as it happened, generating much talk and a general, happy displacement - some might say time off from the gloom of the UK’s current political quagmire. For the country’s two top channels, it boosted share and ITV’s cash-register was probably ringing its bells off.
Over the tournament’s first 14 days, when there’s usually between two and three games for the channels to choose from, total TV viewing for individuals grew 1.2% between 6am and 6pm, compared with the same period last year, and 2.5% between 6pm and 11pm.
Reasonable increases but, perhaps unsurprisingly, male audiences saw more marked growth - all helped no end by England’s unlikely progress.
Viewing among 16-34 men grew by 19.3% between 6am and 6pm and by 25% between 6pm and 11pm. ABC1 men saw 14.5% and 12.5% spikes respectively.
Across the entire tournament, total TV viewing among 16-34 men grew by 7.9% and 22.3%, while ABC1 men saw 9.6% and 10.6% increases.
Top 30 Programmes During The World Cup 14 June - 15 July 2018 Title Date Day Start Time VIEWERS (M) Share
1 WORLD CUP: COLOMBIA V ENGLAND 04/07/2018 TUE 18:15 17.28 67.42%
2 WORLD CUP: ENGLAND V BELGIUM 29/06/2018 THU 18:15 13.71 61.42%
3 WORLD CUP: CROATIA V ENGLAND 12/07/2018 WED 18:15:00 13.19 57.32%
4 MOTD LIVE: TUNISIA V ENGLAND 18/06/2018 MON 18:15 11.98 50.29%
5 MOTD LIVE: SWEDEN V ENGLAND 07/07/2018 SAT 14:00 11.44 67.33%
6 MOTD LIVE: FRANCE V BELGIUM 10/07/2018 TUE 18:29 8.92 42.07%
7 MOTD LIVE: ENGLAND V PANAMA 24/06/2018 SUN 13:40 8.63 66.36%
8 WORLD CUP: RUSSIA V CROATIA 07/07/2018 SAT 18:00 8.17 45.51%
9 WORLD CUP: CROATIA V DENMARK 01/07/2018 SUN 18:30 7.89 37.16%
10 WORLD CUP: BRAZIL V SWITZERLAND 17/06/2018 SUN 18:30 7.83 36.38%
11 WORLD CUP: GERMANY V SWEDEN 23/06/2018 SAT 18:30 7.72 44.67%
12 CORONATION STREET 09/07/2018 MON 19:30 7.70 40.89%
13 MOTD LIVE: BELGIUM V JAPAN 02/07/2018 MON 18:30 7.55 37.14%
14 WORLD CUP: URUGUAY V PORTUGAL 30/06/2018 SAT 18:30 7.38 46.51%
15 MOTD LIVE: BRAZIL V BELGIUM 06/07/2018 FRI 18:30 7.27 38.06%
16 MOTD LIVE: PORTUGAL V SPAIN 15/06/2018 FRI 18:30 6.77 33.82%
17 WORLD CUP: IRAN V SPAIN 20/06/2018 WED 18:30 6.65 34.79%
18 WORLD CUP: SERBIA V BRAZIL 27/06/2018 WED 18:30 6.52 36.32%
19 MOTD LIVE: NIGERIA V ARGENTINA 26/06/2018 TUE 18:30 6.28 33.41%
20 EMMERDALE 19/06/2018 TUE 19:00 6.15 31.52%
21 POLDARK 17/06/2018 SUN 21:00 6.07 23.89%
22 UNFORGOTTEN 15/07/2018 SUN 21:00 6.02 21.96%
23 MOTD LIVE: ARGENTINA V CROATIA 21/06/2018 THU 18:30 5.96 31.34%
24 MOTD LIVE: GERMANY V MEXICO 17/06/2018 SUN 15:30 5.88 42.62%
25 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 15/07/2018 SUN 20:10 5.85 30.16%
26 BBC NEWS 15/07/2018 SUN 18:45 5.85 35.37%
27 MOTD LIVE: IRAN V PORTUGAL 25/06/2018 MON 18:30 5.84 30.05%
28 MOTD LIVE: SPAIN V RUSSIA 01/07/2018 SUN 14:30 5.78 46.30%
29 EASTENDERS 14/06/2018 THU 19;30 5.68 33.09%
30 MOTD LIVE: FRANCE V CROATIA (FINAL) 15/07/2018 SUN 15:00 5.63 36.37%
Viewing also shifted within the existing TV arena. For example, in that first, intense fortnight, share of all channels beside the five PSB networks dropped markedly on the same period last year especially among male viewers - a key component of their audience profile.
Between 6am and 6pm, share to ‘other’ channels fell 41.2% for 16-34 men and 36% for ABC1 men. Between 6pm and 11pm, it fell 27.6% and 20.3% respectively.
This is reflected in how individual channels were affected. For example, Dave saw its 6pm to 11pm share fall by 44.7% for 16-34 men and 21.3% for ABC1 men in that first fortnight; and by 47% and 31% over the tournament.
Sky 1 experienced declines of 38.1% and 20.8% between 6pm and 11pm in the first two weeks, 42.8% and 28.7% over the month. Although expected, this impact was hefty nonetheless. With coverage shared between them,
BBC1 and ITV benefited hugely. In revenue terms ITV plc had something of the perfect storm - as ITV2’s Love Island busily hoovered up masses of 16-24 adults, the main channel gathered loads of advertiser-friendly, equally hard-to-reach male audiences.
For example, between 6pm and 11pm, ITV’s share of 16-34 men across the tournament was 28.7%; in the same period last year it was 13%. ABC1 men’s share, meanwhile, was 25.9%, compared with last year’s 13.5%.
ITV showed four England matches live - against Belgium (twice), Colombia and Croatia. From 6pm on 3 July, ITV’s last 16 match against Colombia (including extra time and nail-biting penalties) averaged 17.3 million/67%, 2 million/81% for 16-34 men and 5 million/78% ABC1 men.
Commercial considerations
The commercial break before extra-time at 9.40pm - the best of all - averaged 21.3 million/70%, 2.6 million/88% 16-34 men and 6.1 million/81% ABC1 men. The semi-final versus Croatia, which went to extra time, averaged 13.2 million/57%, including the build-up - with an average of 20.8 million/71% for the match coverage itself.
The best performing commercial break in volume terms was at 8.51pm, just before extra time, averaging 24 million/73%, 2.6 million/89% men 16-34 and 6.2 million/81% ABC1 men. Kerching!
There is no question that ITV’s coffers will have been filled, although there might have been some queasiness about the number of betting ads. The Guardian reported that of all ads shown during the tournament on ITV, 17% were for betting firms - equivalent to one minute in every six broadcasted.
Between 6pm and 11pm, BBC1’s share of 16-34 men across the tournament was 22%, compared with 13.4% last year. The ABC1 men’s share of 27.9% compared with 23.9% last year. Between 6am and 6pm, 16-34 men averaged 29% compared with last year’s 14%; ABC1 men 37.8% versus 28.8%.
BBC1’s England’s group game against Tunisia on 18 June averaged 12 million/50% from 6.15pm, 1.5 million/66% 16-34 men and 3.7 million/66% ABC1 men. The match itself averaged 16.9 million/66%, 2.1 million/82% (16-34 men) and 5.1 million/81% (ABC1 men) respectively.
BBC1’s quarter final versus Sweden averaged 11.4 million/ 64% from 2pm with 1.1 million/77% (16-34 men) and 3.3 million/71% (ABC1 men) respectively. The match took an average of 17.4 million/84%, 1.7 million/92% 16-34 men, 5 million/ 91% ABC1 men.
BBC1’s spread of 19 daytime matches averaged 4.4 million/43% for individuals, 500,000/62% for men 16-34 and 1.4 million/58% ABC1 men, helped by two England matches and the World Cup final in daytime.
ITV’s 16 games (including England’s third place play-off against Belgium) averaged 2.9 million/ 31%, 300,000/51% and 900,000/45% respectively.
In peaktime the roles reversed. ITV covered three England matches in the knock-out phase and 13 overall, averaging 9.2 million/46% individuals, 1.1 million/65% men 16-34 and 2.7 million/58% men ABC1. BBC1’s 10 matches averaged 7 million/36%, 800,000/52% and 2.3 million/52% respectively.
Coverage of the final averaged 5.6 million/36% on BBC1 and 1.6 million/ 11% on ITV from 3pm, including pre- and post-match blather and the presentation of the cup, meant a BBC1 win ratio of 3.5 for individuals.
This was the same as 2014 (3.5 to 1) and 2010 (3.3 to 1). Combining BBC1 and ITV, 7.3 million watched the final - compared with 13.5 million in 2014 and 12.2 million in 2010, but both kicked off in peaktime.
Famously, England flopped in the 2014 tournament held in Brazil by failing to get out of the group stage. The team played only three matches in that easily forgotten fiasco, with ITV’s coverage of a game against Uruguay being the best, achieving 13.9 million/54% from 7pm on 19 June.
ITV’s coverage of the meaningless match against Costa Rica - England had already been knocked out - still averaged 6.1 million/40%. BBC1 showed England’s opening match against Italy on 14 June from 10.20pm to an average of 9.7 million/61%.
Revenue generator
This time around, England played seven matches. BBC1 covered the games against Tunisia (12 million/50% on 18 June from 6.15pm), Sweden (11.4 million/67% on 7 July at 2pm) and Panama (8.6 million/66% on 24 June at 12.10pm).
ITV showed four: against Belgium (13.7 million/61% on 28 June at 6.15pm), Colombia (17.3 million/67% on 3 July at 6.15pm), the semi-final against Croatia (13.2 million/57% on 11 July from 6pm) and third/fourth place play-off against Belgium again (5.5 million/43% on 14 July at 2.30pm).
This meant more than twice as many matches as 2014, more ratings, loads of revenue for ITV, licence fee value for BBC1 and a unquantifiable feel-good factor - the effects a strong England team can have on a viewing nation.
ITV will be hoping this extends to its coverage of England’s next internationals game against Spain on 8 September.
Many of England’s players who became heroes - Harry Maguire and Jordan Pickford, for example - emerged from subscription-only sports channels.
They would have been unknown to many viewers who don’t follow football on Sky Sports and BT Sport but lapped up the summer’s unexpected excitement.
Streaming services have taken note and are making their moves: Amazon’s recent capture of 20 Premier League games is a prime example.
Should the Fifa World Cup ever go behind a paywall, those players could remain obscure and the fevered, slightly unhinged but undeniably thrilling atmosphere lost.
It might just become another tournament for the committed subscriber-paying sports fan - and the country would be poorer for it.
Credit: Stephen Price
Copyright Media Business Insight Aug 2, 2018