Champions League Final Viewership Down From Last Year In U.K.

U.K. Viewership For Champions League Final Down From Last Year

ITV1 drew 9.6 million viewers for its coverage in the U.K. of yesterday's FC Barcelona-Manchester United UEFA Champions League final, according to Ben Dowell of the Manchester GUARDIAN. The numbers are down from the 11.1 million viewers ITV1 earned for its coverage of last year's Manchester United-Chelsea Champions League final. ITV1 earned 7.9 million viewers for its overall coverage yesterday from 7:00-10:10pm local time, including pre- and post-match coverage (Manchester GUARDIAN, 5/28). In Manchester, Mark Sweney notes ITV "expected to attract almost [US$12.8M] in ad revenue for around three hours of coverage" of yesterday's match (Manchester GUARDIAN, 5/28).

HOST WITH THE MOST? REUTERS' Mark Meadows notes Rome's Olympic Stadium "emerged from the Champions League final covered with glory," as the pitch was in "perfect condition." And while violence in and around the stadium had "marred previous European matches in Rome and UEFA even threatened to take the final away at one point if more trouble ensued," yesterday the city put on a "flawless final." Meadows writes yesterday's match is "sure to help" Rome's case should it bid for the '20 Summer Olympics (REUTERS, 5/28). However, in Boston, Bob Ryan notes Sky TV reported before the game there "was a major ticket crisis for some Man U fans," as the "turnstiles at Rome's Stadio Olimpico were not acknowledging the bar codes for many Man U ticket-holders" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/28).

ARRESTS IN SPAIN: FSN's Danyelle Sargent reported the streets in Barcelona following the game were "overcome with unruly fans, where more than 40 people were arrested for overturning barricades and throwing bottles at police. Authorities fired rubber bullets in an effort to disperse the crowd" ("FSN Final Score," FSN, 5/27).