UEFA Champions League viewers are more ‘loyal’ to live match broadcasts than are viewers of other recent live sports transmissions. Sponsorship Intelligence found that viewers watch on average 36% of the duration of each UEFA Champions League live broadcast compared to 30% for recent Six Nations matches and 13% for World Cup cricket. This measure of ‘programme loyalty’ gives an important indication of the enduring appeal of a broadcast and crucially reveals the average time viewers are exposed to sponsor branding.

Further barometers continue to show the UEFA Champions League (UCL) to be a big success on UK television with ITV1’s live match broadcasts attracting an average audience of over 6 million viewers, more than the channel’s average for its midweek evening slot.

Sponsorship Intelligence (SI), part of ZenithOptimedia, has studied UCL viewing patterns in several countries as part of a wider exploration of sports TV viewing. SI has access to an array of sophisticated media analysis tools that facilitate a detailed understanding of the TV landscape on behalf of its clients. A review of viewing audiences for several live ITV1 UCL broadcasts on a minute by minute basis revealed that…

up to 2 million viewers continue to watch the end of Eastenders only joining the UCL broadcast 15 minutes into the first half. Therefore diminishing the value of the opening credits not to mention the early ad breaks

in excess of 1 million viewers change channels immediately as the first of two half time commercial breaks begins – many do not return until the second half has restarted

of the break bumpers carrying sponsor credits, the most valuable are those going into the break immediately following half time and full time. Sponsor brands are exposed to above average audience levels during these spots

the matches tend to generate peak audience levels of over 7 million individuals towards the end of the second half. Further, at such peak periods more than 1 million 16-34 year old males tune in. The average audience amongst this ‘hard to reach’ group for the midweek slot on ITV1 is less than 700,000

typically, a third of viewers leave the broadcast as soon as the final commercial break begins and do not return for the remaining 5 minutes of studio analysis. These viewers are therefore not being exposed to the ad break, the return break bumper or the closing credits

For more details contact:

David Fowler
t: 0207 298 6963
david.fowler@sponsorshipintelligence.com