France 2007 smashed all records for attendance and TV viewers
Well we all knew it was a great success but it is now official, the 2007 Rugby World Cup was a global record-breaker for the sport.
The six-week tournament in France in September and October smashed all previous attendance and broadcast figures set during the Rugby World Cup’s 20-year history.
More than two million people attended a Rugby World Cup for the first time, generating an average match attendance of 47,000 for the 48 fixtures. Worldwide television viewing figures also increased considerably on the previous tournament in Australia in 2003.
Mirroring the massive demand for public ticket sales, the tournament’s travel and hospitality programme exceeded 100,000 sales - which is more than the 1999 and 2003 tournaments combined.
“It is also significant to note that RWC 2007 matches were the top six-viewed programmes of any description in France during 2007. With the surprising statistic that more than 20 million viewers in France tuned in to watch the France versus England semi-final at Stade de France, bettering the figure achieved for the soccer World Cup final involving France at the same stadium in 1998.
Coverage of the England versus South Africa final attracted the highest viewing figures for a single programme in the UK in 2007, with nearly 17 million tuning in.
The 2011 tournament will certainly not match the attendance figures with France having been so central for the majority of fans, this will probably mean the viewing figures will be even higher as long as the match timings are not in the early hours.