Crowds

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by Sanz

You are quick to pick faults in my debate style and quicker to paint 1 billion indian fans in the same brush based on your discussion with a handful of Indian friends. I have explained in many times in this thread and each time you have ignored it in a stubborn fashion and instead chosen to attack me. Not that it makes any difference to me.

About your friends, They may agree with you because that is perhaps their opinion as well but it still does not make your sweeping statement "Always get the feeling that Indians don't like following sport, they just like following India" anymore valid. I am sure there are many Indians who particularly like following Indian sportsmen and I am sure there are equal no. (if not more) who like to follow sports regardless of which country they are from.

I like crème brûlée, doesn't mean I'm obsessed with it.

[Shri]

Originally Posted by Spark

I assume you're in your own special category

'Special' indeed.

[Shri]

Originally Posted by benchmark00

I like crème brûlée, doesn't mean I'm obsessed with it.

Same applies for parmi?

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by Shri

Same applies for parmi?

Nah, definitely obsessed. Would go watch a neutral parmi.

[Bun]

Another record? 68 million watched World Cup final - The Times of India

Team India's victory at Wankhede will not only go down in history as one of the greatest cricketing victories for the country, but also as one of the most viewed sporting events on television ever.

An unprecedented 67.6 million people watched the gripping final that had most Indians at the edge of their seats. The number of viewers on Saturday—according to the data collated by audience measurement agency aMap—has surpassed the Indo-Pak semi-final that was perhaps the most anticipated match of the tournament for the subcontinent audience. The number of viewers for the semi-final was 67.3 million. The other semifinal—Sri Lanka vs New Zealand—paled in comparison with only 32 million viewers.

Incidentally, TRP viewership for India matches leaped from 3.7 before the quarterfinals to 6.4. About 53 million watched the India vs Australia clash in the quarter-finals. aMap vice-president Jinita Shah said, "Yesterday's viewership broke all records. Every Indian was glued on to TV to see the big win. Viewership increased almost four times on Saturday.'' According to aMap, 64% of cable and satellite homes watched the Men in Blue clinch the World Cup. The average viewership rating for the final was 13.6, which peaked at 21.4 during the end of the match—higher than the high-voltage Indo-Pak encounter at Mohali. However, most industry watchers will wait for the TAM ratings that most media agencies subscribe to for a full analysis.

The aMap data, though, is an indication of the unprecedented viewership that the final clocked. The average time spent recorded on the match was an impressive 187 minutes.

"The World Cup finals will break all records possible as far as cricket viewership or any other programme in recent times is concerned. Peaks could touch ratings of 40 and average would be higher than 30. Considering India won and it happened in India while the contests were well fought, this World Cup has given the sponsors the biggest returns compared to other years," said Ajit Varghese, MD of Maxus, which bought media for brands like Vodafone, Fiat, Nokia and Hero Honda among others.

68 million = 3+ times Australian population and more than that of United Kingdom

[Bun]

And I think all the knockouts were houseful as well. Brilliant exhibition for a world tournament imho

[Nnanden]

Loved the Bangladeshi crowds.

[marc71178]

Originally Posted by Bun

68 million = 3+ times Australian population and more than that of United Kingdom

And also about 5% of the Indian population.

2005 Ashes finale saw about 12-13% of the UK population watching on a workday.

[Bun]

Originally Posted by marc71178

And also about 5% of the Indian population.

2005 Ashes finale saw about 12-13% of the UK population watching on a workday.

which brings 2 things to my mind:

1. TV penetration is pretty low in India despite all the increase in income and all etc. Which also puts to test the theory that all Indians are cricket mad.
2. If just 5% at peak can generate so much of cricketing revenue, imagine in the coming years when that % rises to say 15-20!

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by marc71178

And also about 5% of the Indian population.

2005 Ashes finale saw about 12-13% of the UK population watching on a workday.

5 % of overall Indian population is not the correct way to measure that, if you count the households that have a television, it will be a lot higher.

According to ITV, India has about only 138 Million homes have Cable & Satellite. and if 68 million watched, that's an amazing feat and I am not sure any other sporting tournament in the world can match that in terms of %.

[jeevan]

Originally Posted by benchmark00

I like crème brûlée, doesn't mean I'm obsessed with it.

We may or may not be obsessed with "creme brulee". We may even suck at making it. But if we own 70% of the market for it, then the point is:

If you only care about cold hard numbers, the amount of revenue that India sources is the only one that really matters at the business of cricket. The number of Indian fans, the depth of their interest or knowledge, the quality of Sanz's arguments are all quite secondary to this by orders of magnitude. Harsh, but so is life.

[marc71178]

Originally Posted by Sanz

5 % of overall Indian population is not the correct way to measure that, if you count the households that have a television, it will be a lot higher.

According to ITV, India has about only 138 Million homes have Cable & Satellite. and if 68 million watched, that's an amazing feat and I am not sure any other sporting tournament in the world can match that in terms of %.

To be honest, if you're going by that then it's been matched and surpassed in the past by most England football matches in major tournaments.

[centurymaker]

Originally Posted by Sanz

5 % of overall Indian population is not the correct way to measure that, if you count the households that have a television, it will be a lot higher.

According to ITV, India has about only 138 Million homes have Cable & Satellite. and if 68 million watched, that's an amazing feat and I am not sure any other sporting tournament in the world can match that in terms of %.

6+ people per house

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by marc71178

To be honest, if you're going by that then it's been matched and surpassed in the past by most England football matches in major tournaments.

Some data will be helpful.

[marc71178]

Well 68m watching in 138m homes is roughly the same proportion as 11m watching in 20m homes in England (assuming all homes have a TV set) - England-USA in the last World Cup got nearly 20m viewers.