The game may have resulted in a loss, but the overnight rating for USA-Belgium was a big win for ESPN. It ended as the highest overnight rating ever for a World Cup game on ESPN networks.
Overall, the game averaged a 9.6 rating and peaking at an amazing 14.1 in the 5:45-6 p.m. ET quarter-hour. On WatchESPN, there were 1.5 million streams for the game.
This beats the previous overnight ratings record which was a 9.1 for USA-Portugal on June 22.
The top seven local markets for the game were on the East Coast: New York, Hartford/New Haven, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Boston, West Palm Beach and Baltimore. Cincinnati, San Francisco, Columbus, Norfolk and Orlando round out the other top markets.
Here are the particulars from ESPN.
USA-Belgium: ESPN’s Highest Overnight Rating for a FIFA World Cup Match Ever
ESPN’s telecast of Tuesday’s USA vs. Belgium FIFA World Cup match – a 2-1 U.S. loss in extra time – averaged a network record 9.6 overnight rating, making it the highest overnight rating for a World Cup match on ESPN or ESPN2, according to Nielsen. ESPN’s television coverage peaked from 5:45 – 6 p.m. ET with a 14.1 rating while WatchESPN peaked at 1,500,000 concurrent viewers.ESPN’s coverage posted a five percent increase over a Saturday afternoon telecast of the United States’ loss to Ghana in the 2010 World Cup Round of 16 (a 9.1 rating on ABC). When including ABC, Tuesday’s telecast ranks behind the 1994 final and USA vs. Brazil round of 16 matches for largest metered market rating.Including yesterday’s record audience, ESPN has posted its six highest metered market ratings for the men’s World Cup during the 2014 event.The top-10 metered markets: New York (15.0), Hartford/New Haven (13.2), Washington, D.C., (12.8), Richmond (12.3), Boston (12.2), West Palm Beach (12.0), Baltimore (11.4), Cincinnati (11.4), San Diego (11.0), Columbus (10.8), Norfolk (10.8) and Orlando (10.8)To date, the highest-rated markets on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC are: Washington DC (4.5), New York (4.2), San Francisco (3.9), Los Angeles (3.6), San Diego (3.5), Orlando (3.5), Hartford/New Haven (3.5), Miami/Fort Lauderdale (3.4), West Palm Beach (3.4), Richmond (3.3) and Boston (3.3).Fast national ratings and viewership numbers are expected to be available this afternoon.
There you have it.
