Both ESPN and Univision are seeing increased numbers for this year’s World Cup. Univision has had four of the five most watched games of the tournament through Wednesday’s games. ESPN has the most watched (USA-Ghana) thus far and it’s looking to Sunday’s USA-Portugal game to possibly top the viewership.
Through 20 games, ESPN’s ratings on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC has averaged 2.4, up 26% from the 1.9 for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Viewership for the games has averaged 3.835 million and that is up by 31% from 2010.
The top local markets for ESPN has been Washington, DC, San Francisco, New York City, Hartford-New Haven and Los Angeles. You’re talking in the Top Five, four of the biggest markets in the country so the World Cup has resonated with viewers.
Here’s ESPN’s announcement.
ESPN’s FIFA World Cup TV Audience Up 31%, Key Male Demos Leading the Way
Digital Usage Soaring for Web Traffic, Live Action on WatchESPN
ESPN continues to post significant gains in both ratings and viewership through the first week of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Through the first 20 matches of the tournament, the ESPN networks are averaging a 2.4 US rating and 3,835,000 viewers, increases of 26 percent (1.9 rating) and 31 percent (2,917,000 viewers), respectively, from the first 20 matches in 2010. ESPN is witnessing strong results in the key male demos men 18-34 (2.4 rating), men 18-49 (2.3) and men 25-54 (2.2). Among the key demo groups, the largest percentage increase from 2010 is among people 25-54 (a 33 percent gain, 1.6 vs. 1.2).
Below are ESPN fast national ratings for Wednesday’s matches:
- Australia/Netherlands (ESPN): 1.7 HH US rating
- Spain/Chile (ESPN): 2.3 HH US rating
- Cameroon/Croatia (ESPN): 2.0 HH US rating
To date, the top-10 markets on the ESPN Networks are: Washington DC (4.6), San Francisco (4.1), New York (3.9), Hartford-New Haven (3.6), Los Angeles (3.6), Orlando (3.5), Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (3.4), Atlanta (3.4), Boston (3.4), and (tied) West Palm Beach, Richmond and San Diego (3.2).
ESPN Digital Platforms
- Through 20 World Cup games on WatchESPN, average unique viewers are up 152% over 2010.
- ESPNFC.com had 6.6 million video starts yesterday, up 1,478% over same Day 7 of World Cup 2010.
- Through the first full week of World Cup 2014, daily unique users on ESPN’s SportsCenter App were up 397% over 2010.
And for Univision, its viewership continues to trend upward. The audience for Univision’s coverage for this year’s World Cup is up an astonishing 43% from 2010. As previously mentioned, it has four of the five most-watched games to date.
It notes that its audience has hit the 42 million mark through 20 games.
On Wednesday, Univision says its audience online hit 8.2 million unique visits, its second highest day ever.
Here is what Univision is saying about its viewership through Wednesday.
UNIVISION DEPORTES REACHES 42.0 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS FOR 2014 WORLD CUP TO DATE
Univision Deportes Has Aired 4 of the Top 5 Most-Viewed Matches, Across All Networks Regardless of Language, in the 2014 World Cup Among Total Viewers
Univision Deportes 2014 World Cup Audience is +43% Larger than 2010 World Cup through 20 Matches
Univision Deportes’ presentation of the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014™ has delivered 4 of the top 5 matches, across all networks regardless of language, for the tournament-to-date among Total Viewers. The matches aired on the Univision Network, which was simulcast on Univision Deportes Network (UDN), from June 12-18, 2014. The matches included Brazil vs. Mexico averaging 6.8 million Total Viewers on June 17, Brazil vs. Croatia averaging 5.1 million Total Viewers on June 12, Mexico vs. Cameroon averaging 5.0 million Total Viewers on June 13, and Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina averaging 4.9 million Total Viewers on June 15.
- Univision Deportes’ coverage of the 2014 World Cup has reached 42.0 million Total Viewers for the tournament to date.
- Univision Deportes’ coverage of the 2014 World Cup is pacing ahead of its 2010 World Cup coverage by +43% among Total Viewers and +29% among Adults 18-49 through 20 matches.
Source: The Nielsen Company, NPM, Fast Nationals, L+SD data. Fast cume with 1 minute qualifier.
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS:
- Among Total Viewers, Univision stations have had 9 of the top 10 World Cup matches on any network in Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas and 8 of the top 10 matches in Houston.
- Among Adults 18-49, Univision stations have had 10 of the top 10 World Cup matches on any network in Los Angeles and Miami and 9 of the top 10 matches in Houston and Dallas.
- Among Adults 18-34, Univision stations have had 8 of the top 10 World Cup matches on any network in Los Angeles and Dallas and 7 of the top 10 matches in Miami and Houston.
Australia vs. Netherlands
During the match between Australia and Netherlands (12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. ET), Univision was the highest rated broadcast station among:
- Total Viewers in Los Angeles, Miami and Houston
- Adults 18-49 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix and Sacramento
- Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco and Phoenix
Univision stations outdelivered the same match on ESPN among:
- Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Dallas and Chicago
Spain vs. Chile
During the match between Spain and Chile (3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. ET), Univision was the highest rated broadcast station among:
- Total Viewers in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Phoenix and Sacramento
- Adults 18-49 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix and Sacramento
- Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco and Sacramento
Univision stations outdelivered the same match on ESPN among:
- Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 in Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago and Phoenix
- Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas and Sacramento
Cameroon vs. Croatia
During the match between Cameroon and Croatia (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET), Univision was the highest rated broadcast station among:
- Total Viewers in Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, San Francisco and Phoenix
- Adults 18-49 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix and Sacramento
- Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Phoenix and Sacramento
Univision stations outdelivered the same match on ESPN among:
- Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 in Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Dallas and Phoenix
- Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and Phoenix
Source: The Nielsen Company, NSI, (06/18/14), Australia vs. Netherlands game time 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET, Spain vs. Chile game time 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET, Cameroon vs. Croatia game time 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET (match time). Live game across time zones. Live +SD.
DIGITAL HIGHLIGHTS:
- On Wednesday, June 18, Univision Digital had its second highest trafficked day ever, receiving 8.2 million visits. The first seven days of 2014 World Cup (June 12 to 18, 2014) are the top seven most visited days in Univision Digital history.
- Univision Digital’s three 2014 World Cup live streams on June 18, Australia vs. Netherlands, Spain vs. Chile and Cameroon vs. Croatia, generated a total of 4.3 million views. June 18 ranks as Univision Digital’s fourth all-time highest day for live stream views.
- The Spain vs. Chile live stream received 2.1 million views on its own, becoming Univision Digital’s third most watched live stream ever.
- The second most watched live stream on June 18 was the Australia vs. Netherlands match, which received over 1.4 million views, followed by the Cameroon vs. Croatia live stream that received over 775K million views.
- The Univision Deportes App was the No. 1 free sports app in the Google Play Store for the third day in a row. The app continues to rank among the top five free sports apps in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store since the 2014 World Cup launch.
Source: Adobe Analytics, Distimo.
SOCIAL HIGHLIGHTS:
- Univision’s airing of the World Cup match between Spain vs. Chile on Wednesday June 18th was the No. 1 program across all English and Spanish language broadcast networks that day in terms of Twitter unique authors and Tweets, followed by the airing of the World Cup matches Australia vs. Holland, and Cameroon vs. Croatia, also on Univision.
- Additionally, on the day of the matches, Univision was the No. 1 network across all English and Spanish language broadcast networks in terms of unique authors, Tweets, and Tweets per unique, beating NBC, FOX, ABC and CBS.
- Also on Wednesday June 18th, Univision Deportes was the No. 3 network across all English and Spanish language cable networks in terms of unique authors.
Source: Nielsen
That is all.
