Viewing figures

[norwichsam1]

With many of this years rounds attracting bigger crowds than they have for years I was wondering what the tv viewing figures were like? I seem to remember the ITV1 coverage pulling in a million+ in the past couple of years but didn't know if the fact that it's now been put onto ITV4 would have affected that number by much. It's just that I can't imagine anything on ITV4 would pull in the number of 'casual' viewers (ie not necessarily BTCC fans) that ITV1 does.

[AndySpeed]

Probably not, but it is more rewarding to the main fans of the championship.

Also in the current era of freeview, where most households have access to around 30+ channels, the only advantage ITV1 has is seemingly being on a lower programme number and being located around other big channels. I honestly think that BTCC being on ITV4 has been extremely good!

[Dave B]

298,000 for the 5pm BTCC programme from Oulton Park (Compared with ITV4's top programme of the week: the Tour de France which attracted 502,000).

http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?Requesttimeout=500&report=weeklytop30

[norwichsam1]

I wan't knocking the coverage, quite the opposite, I think its great to have so much raceday action screened live. It just seems a shame to have it tucked away on a 'specialist' channel but i guess thats the way ITV are going weith their sport in general.

[VkmSpouge]

I suspect that's how a lot of minor sports will go from now on, you'll probably only get the major sporting events (F1, Wimbledon, Premier League, etc.) on the bigger channels allowing for longer and more in-depth coverage for stuff like the BTCC on smaller channels.

[Eurotech]

I heard that because F1 is moving to the BBC, ITV are moving the BTCC back to ITV1 but this may see the end of 5 hour coverage :(

[ATF]

Maybe they'll go back to doing the 90 minute programme on ITV1, which features highlights of 2 races then race 3 live but also have races 1 and 2 in full on ITV4. Personally I don't mind it all on ITV4 - with digital TV the way it is now, it just means typing in a different channel number.