TV balance sheet 2023 - What sports fans prefer to watch on television
Failed in the preliminary round of the World Cup, but particularly popular with fans: for the second time in a row, the German footballers are the TV kings. 10.374 million people watched the DFB women's match against Colombia on ARD during the World Cup on July 30, putting them in first place in the 2023 ratings.
The remote control vote was close. The men's international soccer match between Germany and France had the second most TV viewers. During Rudi Völler's one-off coaching appearance, 10.369 million people tuned in to the first channel on September 12.
Last year, the German women were already number one in the ratings ranking - with significantly more viewers back then. On July 31, 2022, 17.952 million people had watched the European Championship final on Erste. The difference: the World Cup match in Sydney that summer was kicked off at lunchtime for Germany and, unlike the European Championship final, was only a preliminary round match.
No prime-time games
"They weren't prime-time games, but lunchtime games, which makes them even more valuable," commented ARD sports coordinator Axel Balkausky on the ratings for the women's soccer. "Women's soccer, at least with the national team, has now become totally established." The figures "prove that women's soccer attracts a large audience," said ZDF Head of Sport Yorck Polus.
As many as five German men's matches were among the top 10 in this year's TV sports ratings. Two handball matches were also among the ten most successful sports broadcasts of the year, including the World Cup match between Germany and France in fifth place with 7.497 million viewers on ZDF.
Handball in second place
"Handball is currently the number two team sport behind soccer, playing a major role in tournaments in particular," said Balkausky. "That's why I also believe that the European Championships here in our own country at the beginning of next year will give it another significant boost." The ZDF Head of Sport also expects higher ratings for the men's soccer team: "Even in the sporting crisis, the potential of the upcoming home European Championships will become apparent if the German team finds its way back to success."
The basketball team also achieved an unexpected ratings success. A total of 6.259 million people watched the German national team's victory in the World Cup final against Serbia on ZDF or on the free internet stream on Telekom's MagentaTV service. Together, this resulted in 15th place in the ratings ranking.
Biathlon is undoubtedly one of the TV favorites of German sports fans. Cross-country skiing with shooting guaranteed consistently good figures for the first and second channels on the winter weekends, with very high market shares for the afternoon races in particular. The top figure this year was 5.147 million for a men's relay on January 22 - which resulted in 29th place.
However, other figures are more remarkable: The importance is particularly clear from the fact that 21 races are within the top 100. "Biathlon has not always been blessed with German success, but this sport is incredibly stable," commented ARD sports coordinator Balkausky.
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- Despite failing in the preliminary round, the national soccer team remained popular, securing the top spot in TV ratings for the second year in a row.
- The turn of the year saw a closely contested vote, with the men's international soccer match between Germany and France coming in second.
- Rudi Völler, in his one-off coaching stint, attracted 10.369 million viewers to the first channel on September 12.
- The DFB women's team, led by Völler, had a more successful ratings run the previous year, with significantly more viewers during the European Championship final.
- The 2022 European Championship final was a preliminary round match compared to the World Cup match in Sydney, which was kicked off at lunchtime for Germany.
- No prime-time games were scheduled for the women's soccer, yet it still managed to attract a large audience.
- Axel Balkausky, ARD's sports coordinator, commended the establishment of women's soccer in Germany, citing its popularity and large audience.
- Five German men's matches made it into the top 10 of this year's TV sports ratings, with handball following closely behind.
- The World Cup match between Germany and France in handball secured fifth place in the ratings ranking with 7.497 million viewers on ZDF.
- Balkausky regarded handball as the number two team sport following soccer, emphasizing its importance in tournaments.
- The upcoming European Championships in handball, scheduled for the beginning of next year, were expected to give handball another significant boost, according to ZDF's Head of Sport.
- The basketball team also experienced unexpected ratings success, with 6.259 million viewers tuning in for the World Cup final against Serbia.
- Biathlon consistently ranked as one of German sports fans' favorite TV sports, with cross-country skiing and shooting often resulting in high viewer figures, even when Germany wasn't particularly successful.
Source: www.stern.de
