The 2014 FIFA World Cup is a hit. The first game averaged 9.5 million viewers on the combined platforms of ESPN and Univision. And for Univision, it beat ESPN in ratings and total viewership plus in key demographics.
Univision/Univision Deportes garnered a total viewership of 5.1 million viewers beating ESPN’s 4.4 million for the match. In addition, Univision was the top-rated station in several local markets including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco.
Univision had its best day for live streaming on its website and mobile apps.
The network has to feel very good for an event which has become signature programming over the years.
Here’s the official Univision press release.
OPENING DAY OF FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2014™ DELIVERS RECORD PERFORMANCE IN UNIVISION DEPORTES HISTORYBests ESPN World Cup Coverage, Most Trafficked Day Ever on Univision Digital
Univision’s presentation of the opening match of the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014™, Brazil vs. Croatia, delivered most-viewed opening day performance in Univision Deportes history with an average of 5.1 million Total Viewers and 2.7 million Adults 18-49. The match aired on Univision from 4:00 p.m. – 5:59 p.m. on June 12, 2014:
- The match reached 10.1 million Total Viewers who tuned into all or part of the broadcast.
- The opening match of World Cup on Univision outdelivered all 4 NHL Stanley Cup finals games among Adults 18-49.
- Univision Deportes coverage of the match outdelivered ESPN’s coverage of the same match by +14% among Total Viewers and +13% among Adults 18-49. ESPN averaged 4.4 million Total Viewers and 2.4 million Adults 18-49.
- The Opening Ceremony delivered 2.8 million Total Viewers and 1.5 million Adults 18-49, a new high for the World Cup Opening Ceremony across all networks, regardless of language.
Source: The Nielsen Company, NPM, Fast Nationals, L+SD data, Opening Ceremony based on Live data, Fast cume with 1 minute qualifier.
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS:
During the first match of the World Cup between Brazil vs. Croatia, Univision was the highest rated broadcast station:
- Among Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix and Sacramento
During the Brazil vs. Croatia match, Univision stations had higher viewership than the ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX stations combined among Total Viewers in Miami, San Francisco and Phoenix and among Adults 18-49 in Sacramento. In fact, Univision had at least double the audience of the ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX stations combined among:
- Total Viewers in Los Angeles
- Adults 18-49 in Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco and Phoenix
- Adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix and Sacramento
Univision stations also out-delivered 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, Dallas, Chicago and Phoenix
Source: The Nielsen Company, NSI, (06/12/14), 4:00p.m.-6:00p.m ET (match time). Live game across time zones. Live +SD.
DIGITAL HIGHLIGHTS:
- On Thursday, June 12th, Univision Digital had its most trafficked day ever with 5.8 million visits and its best day ever for video with over 4.7 million video views, inclusive of the live stream.
- Univision Digital’s live stream of the World Cup 2014 opening ceremony and the Brazil vs. Croatia match received 1.9 million views, making it Univision’s most watched live stream ever.
- Univision Digital had its all-time highest day for app downloads on Thursday, June 12th. Since June 3rd, the Univision Deportes app has ranked among the top ten free sports apps in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Source: Adobe Analytics and Distimo.
SOCIAL HIGHLIGHTS:
- Univision’s broadcast of the World Cup opener between Brazil and Croatia was the No. 2 program across all English and Spanish language broadcast networks that day in terms of Twitter activity, beating the 2014 U.S. Open Golf Championship on NBC in unique authors, Tweets and Tweets per unique.
- Additionally, on the day of the match, Univision was the No. 2 network across all English and Spanish language broadcast networks in terms of Twitter activity, beating NBC, FOX and CBS.
- Univision Deportes Network’s (UDN) broadcast of the World Cup opener between Brazil and Croatia was the No. 3 program across all English and Spanish language cable networks that day in terms of Twitter activity.
- Additionally, on the day of the match, UDN was the No. 3 network across all English and Spanish language cable networks in terms of Twitter activity.
Source: Nielsen
We’ll continue to monitor Univision vs. ESPN throughout the World Cup.
