ATHLETICS was a clear runner-up to football when it came to British television audiences in 2004.
Matches from the Euro 2004 football tournament dominated the leading TV lists. But behind the nation’s No.1 sport, athletics was an emphatic No.2.
The Olympics provided seven of the top 10 non-football sporting audiences.
Paula Radcliffe’s bid to win the 10,000m, five days after collapsing in the marathon, drew 12.8 million and the following evening 8.7 million watched Kelly Holmes add the 1500m title to her 800m gold medal.
But it wasn’t all about Holmes and Radcliffe. The men’s 4x100m team was the second-equal most viewed non-football television sports event.
The Olympic men’s long jump and 200m also made the top 10.
But the highest figures of the year by far were for the quarter-final between Portugal and England in the European Championship, which attracted an average of 20.7 million and a peak of 23.9 million.
- TV AUDIENCES
Top 10 non-football sports viewing figures in 2004
Pos Event Date Ave Peak
1 Women’s Olympic 10,000m Aug 27 8.3 12.8
2eq Women’s Olympic 1500m Aug 28 9.0 11.7
2eq Men’s Olympic 4x100m Aug 28 9.0 11.7
4 Henman v Philippoussis, Wimbledon Jun 28 4.4 11.2
5 Women’s Olympic marathon Aug 22 7.7 10.7
6 Grand National April 3 10.3 10.3
7 Olympic opening ceremony Aug 13 8.6 10.2
8 Men’s Olympic 100m Aug 22 7.2 8.9
9 Boat Race Mar 28 8.4 8.9
10eq Men’s Olympic long jump Aug 26 7.6 8.7
10eq Men’s Olympic 200m Aug 26 7.6 8.7
All events were shown on BBC1