If you started to make a list of world events that have made history, then the chances are you’d be there for quite a while. There is no denying that there have been some weird and wonderful world events in the past – but what events in more recent times are likely to make the history books?
Betway Casino – the company known for bringing us world-renowned online slots recently carried out some research on 10 events that stopped the words analysing just how many people tuned in to see these historical events take place – here’s some of what they discovered.
When Prince Charles & Diana Got Married
When you consider that the wedding between Prince Charles and Lady Diana was considered a UK national holiday in the UK, it is no wonder it was an event so many people wanted to see. Back on the 29th of July 1981, 750m people tuned in to watch the fairy-tale wedding. This meant at the time that 18% of the global population had their TV sets turned onto the channels that were showing the event. Back in 1981, the internet and streaming services weren’t a thing so tuning in to watch something like this live as it happened was a big deal. It wasn’t just those watching from home that joined in the celebrations – 3500 guests were in attendance, and it is thought that around 600,000 people took to the streets surrounding St. Pauls’s Cathedral to join in.
The Beijing Olympics
It isn’t just weddings and romance that get people’s attention, there have been plenty of sporting events that have been life-changing too. The Beijing Olympics opened on the 8th of August 2009 and 21% of the global popular tuned in to watch it happen. Of course, the Olympics are always a popular event but by anyone’s standards, 1.4BN people watching the opening ceremony is phenomenal. Those tuning in were treated to a four-hour show that cost $100m to put together and was made up of 15,000 performers – incredible.
Live Aid
As you might imagine, there have been some pretty popular music events throughout the years too. Betway’s research puts Live Aid in 1985 at the top of the list – it is thought that 39% of the world’s population tuned in to watch the concert. Broadcast live from Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy in Philadelphia it was a massive charity fundraiser that proved successful. It isn’t just the fact that so many people tuned in to watch (1.9BN people) but it also was the night many amazing live performances took place. In fact, even to this day, the 21-minute performance by Queen is one that people still talk about- at the time voted the greatest live show in the history of rock music.
TV broadcasts are very different these days, with internet streaming and the possibility to watch catch-up TV at the click of a button one that many people relish. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be other televised events that make history – we’ll have to just see what they are.
Thomas Jackson is a dynamic and talented content writer at WonderWorldSpace.com, renowned for his engaging and informative articles. Beyond his professional pursuits in writing, Jack is also known for his deep passion for fitness, which not only shapes his lifestyle but also influences his work.