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Sport24 chief writer Rob Houwing (File)
Rob Houwing’s TV sport column
We get hit by statistics and various other spam so often these days that occasionally we forget to actually pause and reflect on truly relevant numbers.
Like this week’s jaw-dropper (or so I thought, at least): the revelation that around 8.15 million Dutch folk watched television coverage - on public broadcaster NED1 - of Holland’s triumphant World Cup semi-final against Uruguay in Cape Town.
The figure represents more than half of the population of the geographically claustrophobic country and, if the FIFA Media Channel is to be believed, 83 percent of Dutch people watching television at the time of the game were tuned into the soccer.
This was more than five percent higher than the best domestic viewerships achieved during the 2006 World Cup in neighbouring Germany - when presumably many more Dutch supporters actually made the easy trek to the land of their arch-enemies than undertook the long-haul flight to South Africa four years on.
Mind you, with the Netherlands having advanced to a particularly tantalising final against Spain at Soccer City on Sunday, there are reports that Air France-KLM has laid on four extra flights from Amsterdam or Paris to cater for late demand.
If more than half of the population were glued to the semi, it is tempting to speculate that up to two-thirds of Dutch folk will watch the showpiece. Which does beg the question of Dutch preparedness should the Vikings dramatically regroup for an invasion!
You also wonder what bliss it will be in the streets and bicycle lanes (they’ll still be bathed in daylight at this time of the year, despite the night kickoff in South Africa) for two hours or thereabouts for people with no affection for football whatsoever.
I can list at least one assured Dutch viewer: my elderly father who lives in Helmond, just outside Eindhoven, and had secretly wished for a final against Germany to bury the ghosts of 1974. (Just as secretly, he may now be a tad relieved that old neighbourly grudges will not be revisited in the Soweto fixture.)
Speaking of public broadcasters, I’ve made a conscious effort of late to balance my SuperSport World Cup-watching with meaty periods of the simultaneous action of SABC1.
Of course “Awkward Park” cops plenty of abuse on various fronts these days, but I don’t think their World Cup coverage has been bad.
Perhaps we are guilty at times of preconceived thoughts that it will be insufferable: interestingly, a couple of neutral visiting British journalists who have had stints at my house during the tournament have felt the SABC stuff has been at least steady and competent.
Both of them quite liked studio presenter Walter (sorry, Wal-TA!) Mokoena’s quirky manner – not everybody domestically does – and they also thought Duane Dell Oca’s commentary well-researched.
Even if he does sound uncannily like Mark Gleeson …
Rob’s awesome foursome:
1. New Zealand v South Africa, Vodacom Tri-Nations rugby
Auckland, Saturday 09:35, SS1, CSN & M-Net HD
As the week has dragged on, so have my sentiments toward the Springboks slightly improved for the crackling Tri-Nations opener at Eden Park. I still have this nagging suspicion that the All Blacks will edge it, but I am not Paul, the super-predicting Octopus who has had Germans all aflutter recently, and you should take comfort in that. And I’ll say this much: the more you look at the Bok match 22 on paper, the more you waver in your traitorous thought. Still, a tipster should go with his first instincts, so it’s NZ 26 SA 24, but John Smit’s outfit far from out of the Tri-Nations hunt …
2. Free State v Western Province, Absa Currie Cup rugby
Bloemfontein, Saturday 17:00, M-Net & SS1
There’s little doubt this is the best of the first-weekend fixtures in South Africa’s iconic domestic competition, a good strength-versus-strength affair. Of course visitors WP are missing some Springbok squad members (especially so from a backline point of view) but they will still put out a tight five with enough grunt to stand up to the anticipated Free State onslaught. The hosts also intend bringing seasoned Juan Smith off the bench early in the second half: I wonder if that will help fractionally tilt the scales their way?
3. F1 British Grand Prix, motorsport
Silverstone, Sunday 14:00, SS1 & CSN
Not the worst time for the Brits to beat their F1 chests – it makes up for the soccer shame, too – as Messrs Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button head the drivers’ standings going into Silverstone. This 52-lap track has been reconfigured since last year, partly to encourage overtaking, and it has stretched like a chewing gum by some 750 metres. Sebastian Vettel (oops, don’t mention the Germans!) was a consummate winner for Red Bull here last year, with Hamilton to the fore in 2008. We could be in for a near-classic on the former World War II airfield.
4. Spain v Holland, FIFA World Cup soccer final
Soweto, Sunday 20:30, SABC1, SS3, SS HD & Maximo
Is the momentous month of the World Cup really all but over? Sadly, yes, but at least we bow out with a (likely) bang rather than a whimper -- these finalists ought to ensure a gripping and attractive game, although the showpiece is traditionally marked by very cagey approaches unless there is an early strike. Might it go right to 120 minutes and into shootout terrain? “Pens” have been pretty rare in 2010, so maybe we’re due. And in that event, don’t bank too firmly on Dutch success. It’s win-win for me: I have a bloodline affection for Holland, but if Spain triumph I gleefully claim the office lucky-dip sweepstake, you see.
We get hit by statistics and various other spam so often these days that occasionally we forget to actually pause and reflect on truly relevant numbers.
Like this week’s jaw-dropper (or so I thought, at least): the revelation that around 8.15 million Dutch folk watched television coverage - on public broadcaster NED1 - of Holland’s triumphant World Cup semi-final against Uruguay in Cape Town.
The figure represents more than half of the population of the geographically claustrophobic country and, if the FIFA Media Channel is to be believed, 83 percent of Dutch people watching television at the time of the game were tuned into the soccer.
This was more than five percent higher than the best domestic viewerships achieved during the 2006 World Cup in neighbouring Germany - when presumably many more Dutch supporters actually made the easy trek to the land of their arch-enemies than undertook the long-haul flight to South Africa four years on.
Mind you, with the Netherlands having advanced to a particularly tantalising final against Spain at Soccer City on Sunday, there are reports that Air France-KLM has laid on four extra flights from Amsterdam or Paris to cater for late demand.
If more than half of the population were glued to the semi, it is tempting to speculate that up to two-thirds of Dutch folk will watch the showpiece. Which does beg the question of Dutch preparedness should the Vikings dramatically regroup for an invasion!
You also wonder what bliss it will be in the streets and bicycle lanes (they’ll still be bathed in daylight at this time of the year, despite the night kickoff in South Africa) for two hours or thereabouts for people with no affection for football whatsoever.
I can list at least one assured Dutch viewer: my elderly father who lives in Helmond, just outside Eindhoven, and had secretly wished for a final against Germany to bury the ghosts of 1974. (Just as secretly, he may now be a tad relieved that old neighbourly grudges will not be revisited in the Soweto fixture.)
Speaking of public broadcasters, I’ve made a conscious effort of late to balance my SuperSport World Cup-watching with meaty periods of the simultaneous action of SABC1.
Of course “Awkward Park” cops plenty of abuse on various fronts these days, but I don’t think their World Cup coverage has been bad.
Perhaps we are guilty at times of preconceived thoughts that it will be insufferable: interestingly, a couple of neutral visiting British journalists who have had stints at my house during the tournament have felt the SABC stuff has been at least steady and competent.
Both of them quite liked studio presenter Walter (sorry, Wal-TA!) Mokoena’s quirky manner – not everybody domestically does – and they also thought Duane Dell Oca’s commentary well-researched.
Even if he does sound uncannily like Mark Gleeson …
Rob’s awesome foursome:
1. New Zealand v South Africa, Vodacom Tri-Nations rugby
Auckland, Saturday 09:35, SS1, CSN & M-Net HD
As the week has dragged on, so have my sentiments toward the Springboks slightly improved for the crackling Tri-Nations opener at Eden Park. I still have this nagging suspicion that the All Blacks will edge it, but I am not Paul, the super-predicting Octopus who has had Germans all aflutter recently, and you should take comfort in that. And I’ll say this much: the more you look at the Bok match 22 on paper, the more you waver in your traitorous thought. Still, a tipster should go with his first instincts, so it’s NZ 26 SA 24, but John Smit’s outfit far from out of the Tri-Nations hunt …
2. Free State v Western Province, Absa Currie Cup rugby
Bloemfontein, Saturday 17:00, M-Net & SS1
There’s little doubt this is the best of the first-weekend fixtures in South Africa’s iconic domestic competition, a good strength-versus-strength affair. Of course visitors WP are missing some Springbok squad members (especially so from a backline point of view) but they will still put out a tight five with enough grunt to stand up to the anticipated Free State onslaught. The hosts also intend bringing seasoned Juan Smith off the bench early in the second half: I wonder if that will help fractionally tilt the scales their way?
3. F1 British Grand Prix, motorsport
Silverstone, Sunday 14:00, SS1 & CSN
Not the worst time for the Brits to beat their F1 chests – it makes up for the soccer shame, too – as Messrs Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button head the drivers’ standings going into Silverstone. This 52-lap track has been reconfigured since last year, partly to encourage overtaking, and it has stretched like a chewing gum by some 750 metres. Sebastian Vettel (oops, don’t mention the Germans!) was a consummate winner for Red Bull here last year, with Hamilton to the fore in 2008. We could be in for a near-classic on the former World War II airfield.
4. Spain v Holland, FIFA World Cup soccer final
Soweto, Sunday 20:30, SABC1, SS3, SS HD & Maximo
Is the momentous month of the World Cup really all but over? Sadly, yes, but at least we bow out with a (likely) bang rather than a whimper -- these finalists ought to ensure a gripping and attractive game, although the showpiece is traditionally marked by very cagey approaches unless there is an early strike. Might it go right to 120 minutes and into shootout terrain? “Pens” have been pretty rare in 2010, so maybe we’re due. And in that event, don’t bank too firmly on Dutch success. It’s win-win for me: I have a bloodline affection for Holland, but if Spain triumph I gleefully claim the office lucky-dip sweepstake, you see.
