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The semi-final, shown live on Saturday night, is also thought to have made the broadcaster up to £2m in extra advertising revenue, with a peak audience of 12.4 million, a 51% share, tuning in to watch the game on ITV1.
Jim McDonald, head of broadcast at MPG, said: “It’s difficult to say, but the total value of airtime is worth a lot more than ITV originally predicted.
“It probably made up to £2m extra in advertising revenue in the semi-final because advertising slots, normally costing £50,000, would have cost £100,000 due to the increase of audiences. ITV can expect to make the same again in the final, if not more.”
He added: “Last Sunday’s match between Argentina and South Africa was also watched by more people because they wanted to see who England would face in the final. This also pumps up the value of airtime.”
Phil Hall, associate director of TV at MediaCom, said: “ITV attracted 3.6 million ABC1 men during the semi-final, which is a huge number of typically light viewers. ITV, in its half-time breaks, made six or seven times more than it usually does for the same time on a Saturday night.
“It can only expect this yield to increase in the final.”
Hall called the premiums ITV charged advertisers as “hefty”. He expected them to rise slightly for the final, but warned that there is “only so much people will pay”.
Gary Digby, managing director of ITV Customer Relations, declined to comment on how much extra revenue the broadcaster would reap from the tournament and denied premiums have risen.
“Yes, we charge a premium, but advertisers have been charged the same for every England match regardless of whether it’s the quarter-final or the final,” he said.
The broadcaster is also expected to generate £5m in ad revenue this Sunday, as Lewis Hamilton bids to win the F1 world championship.
l Clarification (9 October, page 4)
The story should have said ITV1 was set to double its rugby ad revenue on England’s semi-final game, not its October ad revenue. Also, Neighbours debuts on Five next year – not this week.