The drop in audience figures for the English FA Cup final - from a 14.9 million high in 1991 to this year's 7.2 million low - appears to be a result of too much soccer rather than loyalty to the BBC, which lost the event in 1998 to ITV.

From the days when live football was a rarity to the current trend which has networks screening big occasions every month, the bottom line is that the FA Cup final is no longer unique.

The UEFA Cup final between Arsenal and Galatasaray drew 10 million viewers on BBC with last year's Champions League involving Manchester United attracting 15.6 million viewers on ITV.

In fact this year's Cup final between Chelsea and Aston Villa was on a par with the men's Wimbledon final, the Brazilian Grand Prix, the World Athletics Championships and just above the Boat race, which had 6.1 million viewers.