European Athletics (EAA) – News – TV audience of 156 million watches Helsinki 2012 European Athletics Championships

Helsinki 2012, the inaugural European Athletics Championships in an Olympic year, attracted a total television audience of 156 million (excluding news audiences) when it was broadcast earlier this year.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed in its report to European Athletics that its flagship championships posted strong live and delayed TV coverage, with more than 35 international broadcasters showing over 1,400 hours of action (1,115 live) during the five days of competition.

European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz said, "This is a great start for the Olympic-year European Athletics Championships. With fewer days of competition, shorter evening sessions and during a packed summer of televised sport, we have still managed to produce healthy television figures for our event.

"Indeed, our event has performed better than many others in a busy summer season. The television figures show the continued importance of our sport on the continent and underline the continued popularity of the European Athletics Championships.

"We will now look at finding the optimum time in a busy summer schedule for the Amsterdam 2016 European Athletics Championships."

EUROVISION Director Sports & Business Stefan Kuerten said, "These figures show how the strength of the EBU is important in bringing the top sports events, such as Helsinki 2012, to the widest European audiences.

"It also demonstrates the commitment of the EBU and its members to the sport of athletics while reflecting the importance of wide-reaching, free to air exposure of the European Athletics Championships."

More than 269,000 spectators also watched the action live at the Olympic Stadium in the Finnish capital between 27 June and 1 July.

In between Helsinki 2012 and Amsterdam 2016 will be the traditional non-Olympic year European Athletics Championships in 2014 in Zurich, which takes place 12-17 August.