Shorts: Paris 2024 Paralympics, Chelsea, Goodwood
Channel 4’s coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games has reached 17.4 million viewers across linear and digital channels, marking a 4% increase on Tokyo 2020.
This also represents more than a quarter of the UK’s total TV audience.
The commercial network made up an audience share of 9.1% for the first six days of the Games, up 25% from Tokyo 2020, and up 5% on Rio 2016. Viewers have consumed 4.3 billion minutes of content, marking a significant increase from the 2.9 billion minutes recorded at the same point in Tokyo 2020.
Youth engagement has also hit record levels, with Channel 4 achieving its largest-ever share of 16–34-year-old viewers for a Paralympic Games. The 12.8% share of this demographic surpasses the London 2012 Paralympics and is 56% higher than the same period during Tokyo 2020.
On the night of the Opening Ceremony on August 28th, the channel captured a 22.5% share of the 16-34 audience category.
Streaming views have also doubled compared to Tokyo 2020, rising by 97%. The Last Leg, Channel 4’s popular primetime show throughout the Games, has meanwhile attracted more than 900,000 viewers, which is a 21% increase on its Tokyo 2020 counterpart.
Tully Kearney’s gold medal in the Women’s 200m Freestyle S5 final, drew 1.6 million viewers and made up a 30.7% share of the 16-34 audience.
David Weir’s men’s T54 1500m race and Great Britain’s victory over France in men’s wheelchair basketball both garnered 1.5 million viewers.
Meanwhile, Channel 4’s YouTube channel has reached over 1.7 million viewers during live streams.
On social media, the Channel 4 Sport TikTok account has generated 16.7 million views, with highlights including Maisie Summers-Newton’s medal win (2.5 million views) and Jonnie Peacock’s call for greater inclusion of disability sports (1.4 million views).
Pete Andrews, Channel 4’s Head of Sport said, “We have tried to make these games as accessible as possible for everyone and showcase the fun and drama of this brilliant event. Hosting the streams on YouTube has been a big hit with the viewers and it’s fantastic to see audiences flock to our coverage.”
Chelsea have promoted Jason Gannon to President & Chief Operating Officer to succeed Chris Jurasek, who will return to the club’s majority owner Clearlake Capital.
In his new role, Gannon will oversee all business areas of the club, reporting directly to the board.
Prior to joining Chelsea in October last year, Gannon served as the managing director of SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park in Los Angeles as part of the Kroenke Organisation, in which he served in various executive, operational and legal capacities.
“I am incredibly proud to have led this historic football club into its next chapter. I have complete confidence in Jason and the executive leadership team that was built and am thankful to have played a part in its establishment,” Jurasek said.
Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano, Chelsea’s co-controlling owners added, “Jason’s unique combination of talent, experience and strategic vision will drive the club forward as we work to achieve our ambitions on and off the pitch.”
Alongside this, Chelsea have secured a deal with Betway as their new European Betting Partner in a long-term deal.
As part of this partnership, Betway and Chelsea will work together to bring fans closer to the action by offering engaging content and exclusive experiences.
Supporters will benefit from unique rewards, including player meet-and-greets, pitch-side tours, and opportunities to play on the renowned Stamford Bridge pitch as part of the new deal.
Betway’s branding will be prominently displayed on the LED advertising boards around the stadium during all domestic matches.
Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer at Chelsea Football Club said, “Their commitment to creating engaging and memorable experiences will offer our supporters incredible opportunities to connect with the club, from interacting with current and legendary players to enjoying VIP hospitality and behind-the-scenes access.”
Goodwood Revival has agreed a new three-year deal with Motul, the high-performance motoring oil and lubricants company.
The agreement sees Motul become a premier partner for the event, which starts on Friday 6th September at the Goodwood Motor Circuit and runs through to Sunday September 8.
The new deal which runs until 2026 will see Motul continue with category exclusivity for oil and lubricants, benefiting from ‘significant branding across the site along with an exclusive guest experience programme and a number of creative and engaging activations.’ This includes the vintage Motul Garage and a branded coffee stop within the Paddocks.
Motul has been a category partner of the Goodwood Revival for the last six years and is one of only two premier partners at the event, alongside global financial company UBS.
Seth Wise, Director of Partnerships at Goodwood, said, “Motul has been a key element of the Goodwood Revival for a number of years now, and we are delighted that they have become a Premier Partner for the next three years. Their products are recognised in the motoring industry as providing outstanding performance and reliability and they remain involved in a number of renowned international racing competitions. Motul’s onsite activations at Goodwod Revival are always among the most popular.”
Millwall has appointed Eureka Solutions as the club’s business management software supplier.
Eureka Solutions will be responsible for implementing a Financial/ERP system that will aim to improve the club’s management of its financial performance.
This new system will streamline everything from ticket sales to fan purchases, offering greater efficiency across all operations.
Eureka Solutions, headquartered near Glasgow, is one of Europe’s specialists in Oracle NetSuite ERP implementation. With extensive experience in the sports sector, the company has worked with English clubs such as Luton Town and Derby County.
This new system will allow Millwall’s business team to access detailed reports in real-time, offering greater visibility and insight into the club’s financial health immediately after matches.
David Lindores, CEO of Eureka Solutions said, “In the modern game, the business performance of a club is becoming almost as important as the on-field achievements of the players. So, it’s impressive that Millwall FC is being so forward-thinking and setting up their systems for success over the long term.”
