http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0125/rte.html

Great news for hurling that the All-Ireland humdinger was the most watched sporting event of the year, more than the football final and soccer world cup.

miketyson (Limerick) - Posts: 2748 - 25/01/2011 16:52:48    853544

Was there a football final and soccer world cup last year?

onlyhurling (Galway) - Posts: 800 - 25/01/2011 17:09:16    853561

Whats football?

Puddersthecat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1692 - 25/01/2011 17:21:43    853571

Someone from Tyrone won't be pleased with this at all!

Puddersthecat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1692 - 25/01/2011 17:22:28    853572

It might have had something to do with the Drive for 5, I love watching the Hurling especially when the teams involved play it at the highest level nothing beats the Clash of the Ash except when Tyrone play the Dub's Kerry and Derry.

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 25/01/2011 17:28:55    853578

Puddersthecat
County: Kilkenny
Posts: 1401

853572
Someone from Tyrone won't be pleased with this at all

and why would that be? Pudders old boy.

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 25/01/2011 17:33:56    853587

It would be great to have at least 3 more games this year as good as last years All Ireland. That would raise the profile of the game in a lot of counties and amongst the public at large... at this stage I am tired of the wall to wall coverage of the soccer season! Sorry you soccer lads but I can't wait for the hurling games to start!

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1875 - 25/01/2011 17:42:03    853603

fortyfive I was referring to PomeroyPlunkett. Every hurling thread he pops up saying how rubbish a sport it is.

Puddersthecat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1692 - 25/01/2011 17:42:46    853604

Apparantly it been the highest for the last two years maybe someone can find the data beyond that.

Not bad for a game that no-one cares about, is dead and buried and has no right to be promoted (not my words but other posters on here).

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 25/01/2011 17:42:48    853605

The Drive for Five and the epic match between the two counties in 2009 would of got people more interested.

The football final wasn't maybe as appealing this year as most would of expected Cork to prevail.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13796 - 25/01/2011 17:42:52    853606

The football final which featured Down was also shown on BBC NI though. I can imagine this took a way from the RTE figures but it's good to see such high numbers. I have no hurling background but can really appreciate the quality and skill levels involved. Some of the Munster Championship games in recent years had you breathless watching them!

DHarpsman (Armagh) - Posts: 409 - 25/01/2011 17:50:38    853617

It's good news for hurling but the football final was the most watched for years.

mikeoc (Kerry) - Posts: 567 - 25/01/2011 18:00:02    853631

A question for ye: Do RTE'S figures for finals and other gaa games take into account the many millions watching in the uk, usa, australia, eurpoe etc....????

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11553 - 25/01/2011 18:06:01    853639

mikeoc:

Not having a go at you here... but would you have viewing figures over the last few years to proove this, they'd be interesting to see.

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 25/01/2011 18:10:27    853648

Excellent. I didn't think the hurling would've gotten the highest figures, given the year that was in it, so that's really encouraging to see. Hopefully it can help get the general public back interested in the whole championship, rather than just tuning in for the one day.
Would also be interesting to see what kind of figures in the U.S. tuned in to see that program on the New Hampshire hurling team.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 25/01/2011 18:12:28    853649

Marlon:

T.v viewers of 30 million not including the website.... great exposure.

http://www.hoganstand.com/usa/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=140816

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 25/01/2011 18:30:57    853664

HAG_AND_CHEESE
County: Tipperary
Posts: 4193

853648 mikeoc:

Not having a go at you here... but would you have viewing figures over the last few years to proove this, they'd be interesting to see

In fairness i dont,i'm going off memory

mikeoc (Kerry) - Posts: 567 - 25/01/2011 18:37:12    853676

http://www.rte.ie/about/pressreleases/2011/0109/televisionstats09012011.html

Top ten programmmes on Irish TV. Well done the hurling...second only to the Toy Show..God love em

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 708 - 25/01/2011 18:38:39    853683

mikeoc:

No Probs..

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 25/01/2011 18:41:35    853688

HAG_AND_CHEESE
County: Tipperary
Posts: 4195
Marlon:
T.v viewers of 30 million not including the website.... great exposure.

Thats good stuff, I'd heard that might be the figure that could be reached, I guess it has a pretty steady audience. Great coverage though, and if you look on the web, there's a fair few local US news programs on Americans taking up hurling, its getting a degree of coverage that might surprise some people here. I mean check out this video of American kids having some kind of hurling youth clinic in Milwaukee, its pretty encouraging to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ1ArTZgbuE

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 25/01/2011 19:04:28    853715