One Million Viewers Watch Squash Finals In Glasgow by Nathan Clarke July 31, 2014
- A peak television audience of one million viewers tuned in to BBC1 to
watch Nick Matthew and Nicol David claim Gold in the finals of the
Commonwealth Games squash competition on Monday July 28.
Figures released by
the British broadcaster show that 0.8 million viewers tuned in to see
David, the Malaysian World No.1, beat England's Laura Massaro in a
intriguing 3-0 win while the audience rose to 1 million as Matthew took
on perennial rival James Willstrop in the final of the men's singles
event.
The Yorkshire-duo
dazzled the crowds and viewers alike as they battled for 100-minutes in
a thrilling 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5 encounter which saw Matthew
claim his second successive singles Gold medal.
It was a performance
which saw the likes of Olympic medallists Matthew Pinsent, Daley
Thompson, Joanna Roswell and other sporting icons such as Gary Lineker
and Michael Vaughan take to Twitter to voice their appreciation and
respect for squash.
"The finals of both
the men's and women's singles at the Commonwealth Games displayed the
passion, dedication and competitiveness which demonstrates precisely
the kind of attributes that make squash a perfect fit for such a global
sporting platform," said Professional Squash Association Chief
Executive Alex Gough.
"The BBC's coverage of
the action during the Commonwealth Games so far has showcased the sport
in a fantastic light, following their broadcast of the 2013 World
Championship on the Red Button last November, and to see such strong
figures for the event is a boost to everyone involved in the sport.
"It's testament to the
temperament and talents of all four finalists, and all the competitors
in the Commonwealth Games, that the sport is currently riding high on a
wave of high-profile public support."
