The Lions’ games against Russia and the Cheetahs hardly troubled the TV viewership scorecards when compared to cricket and soccer in January.
The January TV highlights on both SABC and SuperSport, as delivered by Repucom Africa, showcase a few things, most vividly, though, is that it was time for soccer to shine, with the AFCON games attracting huge audiences.
It seems the country was not yet ready for rugby, or perhaps just Lions rugby, with their game against Russia attracting an audience one twentieth the size of the most watched soccer game on SuperSport.
Also obviously apparent, is the mass audience SABC brings to the sporting party when they do in fact decide to put their hands in their pockets and decide to screen an event.
With audiences like they generate, you would think it would be an easy sell to advertisers. But you would probably need to let them know about the screening of the event more than 24 hours before the event, though!
January SABC and SuperSport highlights by Repucom Africa:
SABC
Soccer
- SA v Cape Verde = 5,9m viewers
- Morocco v SA = 5,1m viewers
- SA v Norway = 4,5m viewers
- SA v Angola = 4,2m viewers
- SA v Algeria = 3,8m viewers
Cricket
- SA v New Zealand 2nd ODI = 1,2m viewers on average across 2 sessions
- HLs of the 3rdday of the 2ndTest Match = 1,1m viewers
SUPERSPORT
Soccer
- Morocco v SA = 1,8m viewers
- SA v Cape Verde = 1,6m viewers
- SA v Angola = 1,4m viewers
- Manchester City v Liverpool = 908,147 viewers
Cricket
- SA v New Zealand 2nd ODI = 322,782 viewers.
- SA v New Zealand 3rd ODI = 322,586 viewers.
Rugby
- Lions v Cheetahs = 197,871 viewers
- Lions v Russia = 89,311 viewers
Other sport
- Australian Open Men’s Final = 71,718 viewers
- Dakar Rally on the 5th of Jan = 60,948 viewers
- Volvo Golf Championship = 37,548 viewers
- ATP World 250 broadcast = 25,919 viewers
- American Football – Wild Card Saturday on ESPN = 11,832 viewers
