Television audience figures for Athens 2004 were up 50% in the first week of the games compared with Sydney 2000, rising a further 35% in the second week as drama surrounding marathon-runner Paula Radcliffe and double gold-medal winner Kelly Holmes increased interest in the games.
According to research by Initiative and Overture during the first week of the games, UK sports fans made more online searches for foreign athletes, especially the Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe and American swimmer Michael Phelps, than any Team GB members.
The number of online searches grew sharply as the games progressed, up by more than 250% in the second week of the games than the first.
In the second week, Radcliffe, who failed to finish both her Olympic races, the marathon and the 10,000 metres, after dropping out in tears, received 33% of the top 10 searches, with Holmes gaining 17%. Thorpe took the bronze with 13%.
According to research by Initiative Futures, online searches for footballers playing in Euro 2004 were six times more popular than athletes competing in the Athens games.
Of the top 10 searches for sportsmen and women carried out during the Olympic period, football dominated. Michael Owen and David Beckham were the subject of almost half the online searches, attracting 25% and 24% respectively.
Earlier this year, more internet searches were carried out for Olympic stars from the past such as Linford Christie and Daley Thompson than any of today's British athletes.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .