Soccer: Champions' League trumps Super Bowl

In a development that will have huge positive financial consequences for the elite in English football, the Champions' League final has overtaken the Super Bowl as the most popular televised event in global club sport.

An influential report, to be published today but which has been seen by the Independent, describes it as "an epochal moment in TV sports viewing trends" and a "game-changer" in terms of Uefa's power to make money from TV and commercial deals and give more to clubs.

The report has been compiled by Future Sports + Entertainment, an arm of leading international analysts Initiative, and details how last year's Champions' League final between Manchester United and Barcelona was the most-watched sports event worldwide.

It attracted 109 million viewers in its entirety, and reached 206 million people, who saw at least part of it live.

The Super Bowl, traditionally the biggest TV event in global club sport, attracted 106 million live viewers, with a reach of 162 million.

"That was Super Bowl's best ever figure, and as an event it's still growing," said Kevin Alavy, an Initiative director. "Extraordinarily, the Champions' League is growing faster, with room for further significant expansion."

That last remark is a reference to the Champions' League final moving to a Saturday this year, making it more convenient for the huge Asian market.

"It's easier to stay up through the night if you're not working the next day," Alavy says.

What this means for English clubs in the tournament is more money.

Last season, Uefa paid £504.8 million ($1151 million) in prize money to the 32 clubs. This season Uefa's prize pot has grown almost 29 per cent to £650 million.

- INDEPENDENT