Spain penalty triumph draws record TV audience
Reuters - Thursday 28 June 2012, 09:12
Spain's Euro 2012 shootout win
over Portugal on Wednesday drew the country's highest ever
television audience, with an average of more than 18 million
watching the drama in Donetsk, said media consultant Barlovento.
Just over 14 million tuned in for the opening 90 minutes of
the semi-final, 16.484 million for extra time and 18.141 million
for the 12 minutes and 32 seconds of penalties, Barlovento said
in a statement on Thursday, citing data from Kantar Media.
The figures refer to the average audience for transmissions
of five minutes or longer and the high point in terms of total
viewers was 19.086 million, coinciding with Cesc Fabregas's
winning spot kick just before 11.30 p.m. local time.
Spain won the penalty shootout 4-2 after the match had ended
goalless after extra time.
The rights to broadcast Euro 2012 in Spain are held by
Telecinco, part of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi's Mediaset group.
Holders Spain will play the winners of Thursday's second
semi-final between Germany and Italy in Sunday's final in Kiev.