TV remains Indian favourite for FIFA action: Nielsen

Eight out of 10 Indian viewers are expected to follow the FIFA Football World Cup on their television sets, a study by research firm The Nielsen Company today said.

Around 35 per cent of the football followers in the country will also follow the game on the Internet.

According to a Nielsen Global Online Survey, 81 per cent of Indian fans will follow the live telecast of the game on television, while 58 per cent said they will follow the game in newspapers.

About 51 per cent of the respondents said they would watch the games in delayed broadcasts and highlights on TV, it added.

The 19th edition of the FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place between June 11 and July 11, 2010, in South Africa.

About 34 per cent of the respondents said they would use Internet on mobile phones to keep one up-to-date with the matches, it added.

"It is interesting to note that increasingly, Indians are using the digital medium to following sports and this could be a great opportunity for advertisers," said The Nielsen Company's India President Piyush Mathur.

Respondents also favoured other modes like online video clips (30 per cent), online streaming (28 per cent), radio (20 per cent), online blogs/chat rooms/forums (18 per cent) and podcasts (6 per cent) for following the World Cup.

About 15 per cent of the Indians surveyed said they would like to catch all the action live from the stands and intend to travel to South Africa to watch the games.