The U.S. rights-holders continue to rack up Nielsen gains with their coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup from South Africa.
Univision notched its best delivery with the tournament to date with its presentation of the Group A match between Mexico-France on June 17, while ESPN netted its highest household soccer total ever with the U.S.-Slovenia game the following day.
Mexico's 2-0 victory over France averaged 5.8 million watchers, the U.S. Spanish-language media leader's best with the tourney to date, according to Nielsen, topping the 5.4 million for the June 11 opening-match draw between Mexico and the host nation.
El Tri's triumph over Les Bleus on June 17 also registered Univision's best averages thus far with the famed FIFA tourney among adults 18 to 49 (3.4 million of those watchers), persons 18 to 34 (2.2 million) and persons 12 to 34 (2.77 million).
Univision racked up triple-digit advantages over ESPN2 coverage of the same match in the 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. window on June 17. Univision held a 159% edge over ESPN2 among total viewers (5.8 million to 2.2); 158% with adults 18 to 49 (3.4 million to 1.3million); 201% among persons 18 to 34 (2.2 million to 719,246); and 190% against persons 12 to 34 (2.8 million to 953,601). The differentials, no doubt, emanate in part from the large numbers of Mexican Americans in Unvision's audience.
Through the first seven days of the 2010 World Cup, Univision averaged 2.3 million total viewers, 1.3 million adults 18 to 49, 752,758 persons 18 to 34 and 924,619 persons 12 to 34, making it the network's highest World Cup delivery to date ahead of the 2006 event in Germany by 13%, 7%, 8% and 4%, respectively, with the aforementioned groups.
ESPN scored its most-watched soccer game ever with almost 3.91 million households and a 3.9 fast national rating for the U.S.'s stirring comeback to tie Slovenia 2-2 on June 18. The telecast garnered 5.2 million viewers in the 10 a.m. to noon window to rank as the network's third-most-watched soccer match behind the 5.85 million for the Germany/Italy semifinal on July 4, 2006 and U.S.-Germany quarterfinal on June 21, 2002.
San Diego was the top market for Friday's U.S. game, delivering an 8.5 rating despite the 7 a.m. (PT) kickoff. Rounding out the top five: Washington, DC (6.4), Miami (6.2), West Palm Beach (5.9), and San Francisco (5.7). San Diego was also the top market for the USA/England game on ABC (11.5).
The controversial U.S.- Slovenia game -- Sam's Army had the apparent game-winner waved off in the 85th minute -- set new marks for broadband service ESPN3.com and ESPNRadio.com.
The June 18 match was the most-viewed event ever on ESPN3.com, capturing 798,911 unique viewers, including both live and on-demand viewing; 624,425 hours consumed; and an average time spent of 47 minutes.
On ESPNRadio.com, the game became the most-listened to stream in the 10-year history of the service, reaching close to 100,000 concurrent listeners in the final moments, according to ando media.
Through Friday June 18 and 23 games on ABC and ESPN, the 2010 World Cup averaged a 1.9 national rating for the two-hour match windows, 60% amelioration from the 1.2 at the same stage of the 2006 tournament. Household impressions surged 66% to 2.33 million from 1.34 million, with viewership ahead 71% to 2.95 million from 1.72 million.
