thedeparted
07-16-2010, 10:00 AM
Well, here's some information the soccer haters aren't going to like — Sunday's World Cup final was the most-watched soccer match in U.S. television history. And, try as they might, it won't be easy for the soccer haters to minimize the numbers. Check out this little comparison:
The 2010 NBA Finals averaged 18 million viewers.
The 2009 World series averaged 19.4 million viewers.
The 2010 World Cup final drew 24.3 million viewers.
That's startling even to soccer lovers. And, no doubt, astounding to soccer haters.
The 24.3 million figure is the average number watching at any one time during the telecast. The Nielsen Co. estimates a total of 111.6 million viewers watched at least part of the match.
What makes this all the more amazing is that there was no hint of homer-ism to this. Team USA had been eliminated two weeks earlier.
As a matter of fact, Spain's 1-0 win over the Netherlands drew 4.9 million more American viewers than the U.S.-Ghana game — which had previously held the record as the most-watched soccer match in U.S. TV history.
As always, there are a number of factors involved in any ratings comparison. And while the United States' last game was played on a Friday morning, the final was played on a Sunday afternoon — which accounts for some of the difference.
By the same token, all six games of the 2009 World Series and all seven games of the 2010 NBA Finals were in prime time, when a whole lot more people are watching TV than on Sunday afternoon.
It certainly says something that Spain and the Netherlands did so well in comparison to legendary American sports franchises like the Yankees and the Lakers.
The growing interest in soccer is linked to the growing strength of Spanish-language broadcasters in this country. About 36 percent of the viewers (8.8 million) watched the final on Univision.
But that leaves 15.5 million who watched the English-language broadcast on ABC — an extremely strong number all by itself.
We can only imagine what viewership would have been had Team USA been involved
Big numbers but it's an obvious flaw argument as the WS/Finals average over at least 4 games, could the final of WC hold those numbers over 4-7?
The 2010 NBA Finals averaged 18 million viewers.
The 2009 World series averaged 19.4 million viewers.
The 2010 World Cup final drew 24.3 million viewers.
That's startling even to soccer lovers. And, no doubt, astounding to soccer haters.
The 24.3 million figure is the average number watching at any one time during the telecast. The Nielsen Co. estimates a total of 111.6 million viewers watched at least part of the match.
What makes this all the more amazing is that there was no hint of homer-ism to this. Team USA had been eliminated two weeks earlier.
As a matter of fact, Spain's 1-0 win over the Netherlands drew 4.9 million more American viewers than the U.S.-Ghana game — which had previously held the record as the most-watched soccer match in U.S. TV history.
As always, there are a number of factors involved in any ratings comparison. And while the United States' last game was played on a Friday morning, the final was played on a Sunday afternoon — which accounts for some of the difference.
By the same token, all six games of the 2009 World Series and all seven games of the 2010 NBA Finals were in prime time, when a whole lot more people are watching TV than on Sunday afternoon.
It certainly says something that Spain and the Netherlands did so well in comparison to legendary American sports franchises like the Yankees and the Lakers.
The growing interest in soccer is linked to the growing strength of Spanish-language broadcasters in this country. About 36 percent of the viewers (8.8 million) watched the final on Univision.
But that leaves 15.5 million who watched the English-language broadcast on ABC — an extremely strong number all by itself.
We can only imagine what viewership would have been had Team USA been involved
Big numbers but it's an obvious flaw argument as the WS/Finals average over at least 4 games, could the final of WC hold those numbers over 4-7?