| |
Euro 2004 Compulsive Viewing for Brits
English football fans finding it hard to concentrate on work anyway this morning may be interested in some pre-tournament findings from HI Europe. A poll conducted in May reveals that well over half (58%) of British people intend(ed) to watch some or all of UEFA Euro 2004 on TV, including almost half of women.
Women aged under 24 are more likely than older women to watch the games - 72% intend to watch one or more and 38% 'will watch as many games as possible'. Seventy per cent of men intend to view some or all of the games.
France was seen as the team most likely to win Euro 2004, according to survey respondents (23%) with England in second position (18%), despite the fact that bookmakers had England as joint fourth favourites for the competition. Italy is third, way behind on 4% and 44% have 'no idea'.
Whether the holders' position as favourites will have been boosted by last night's win or undermined by the fact that they came so close to losing their first match remains to be seen, and similarly it may be felt that by taking them so close England have proved they can perform at a high level. In the May survey, the most common feeling (39% of those with a view) was that England would make the semi-final, while only one in twenty (5%) believed that England would not survive the first round - perhaps demonstrating that England's performances under Sven have been enough to lift some of the prevailing cynicism of the previous few years.
Interestingly for those still seeing football as a working class preserve, households with an income above £50,000 a year (29%) are the most likely to watch as many UEFA Euro 2004 games as possible on TV, according to HI Europe, who cite the Premiership, Sky, ever-growing media coverage and Nick Hornby as drivers of middle-class interest.
'Do you intend to watch any of UEFA Euro 2004?'
| |
All
Adults (n=2124)% |
Men
(n=958)% |
Women
(n=1166)% |
| Yes, I
will watch
as many games
as possible |
27 |
41 |
13 |
| Yes, I’ll
only watch
the big games |
13 |
14 |
13 |
| Yes, I’ll
only be watching
the team I
support |
10 |
9 |
11 |
| Yes, I’ll
watch it when
nothing else
is on |
8 |
6 |
9 |
| No, I
won’t
be watching
Euro 2004 |
41 |
29 |
52 |
| Other |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Base:
All aged 16
and over |
'How far do you think England will get?'
| |
Percent
of All Adults
Expressing
a View
(n=1419)
% |
| They will
win |
21 |
| They
will lose
in the final |
7 |
| They will
get to the
semi-finals |
39 |
| They
will get to
the quarter
finals |
28 |
| They will
not get beyond
the first
round |
5 |
| |
|
| Base:
All aged 16
and over who
expressed
a view |
The survey was conducted via HI Europe's QuickQueryTM GB online Omnibus between 13 and 17 May 2004 among 2,124 people aged 16 and over. The company's web site is at www.hieurope.com
|
