07-21-2009, 01:49 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: India
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25 million viewers tune into Wimbledon men's final
The epic final at the Wimbledon tennis Grand Slam between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick on 5 July saw 25 million viewers tuning in to Star Sports in India.
This is a substantial improvement over last year when 14 million viewers had tuned in.
Overall, 58 million viewers tuned into the Grand Slam and the tournament got an average rating of 0.04. Last year 48 million viewers tuned in to the event and it managed an average TVR of 0.06.
Tam data indicates that the men's final (C&S15+ SEC A,B) got a TVR of 0.57 this year, which was the highest rating for any match. Last year it had managed to score a TVR of 0.28.
Interestingly even though Indian ace player Leander Paes played the mixed doubles final later, viewers tuned out. Only 5.4 million viewers tuned in for that match which got a TVR of 0.12.
The amount of viewers who follow women's tennis is also less. The final between the Williams sisters got a TVR of 0.17. 8.5 million viewers tuned in for this match. Last year the women's final rated higher with a TVR of 0.21. 9.6 million viewers had tuned in for that match.
Offering a media planners take, IMX Media senior VP Sejal Shah notes that the event is an effective way to target affluent males in the SEC A, 35-55 age group.
"While the number is small, there are people in this age group who are passionate about tennis and follow it regularly. Their spending power is also strong. That is why upper end brands like Samsung Electronics, Bose and Rolex get involved."
Shah also notes that while telecom major Vodafone Essar is in a mass category, it has always positioned itself as being premium. "Its communication which is slick reflects that. Even a song for one of its ads is in English. It is not some AR Rahman tune composed in Hindi. Getting involved with an event like Wimbledon allows the brand to boost its profile."
Perception plays a big role in the decision to put money into Wimbledon.
Avers Shah, "Perception-wise, it is almost on par with [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]soccer[/COLOR][/COLOR]. However soccer tournaments like the English Premier League (EPL) have the advantage that there is broader appeal. The youth also watch it. At the same time, Wimbledon is not as niche as Formula 1 and Golf."
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