While ESPN registered its high-water market for a men’s soccer match with the U.S.-Ghana match on Monday, Univision also tallied its best-ever audience for an American futbol contest
The June 16 simulcast of the 2014 World Cup Group G opening-round match won by Sam’s Army 2-1 over the Black Stars averaged 4.8 million on Univision and Univision Deportes Network, according to Nielsen data. That total, including 2.7 million adults 18 to 49, is the most ever for Univision with the U.S. men’s national team. ESPN netted 11.1 million watchers with its coverage of the stirring match.
Over the first 14 matches of the tourney through June 16, Univision/UDN averaged 3.7 million viewers, 48% amelioration from the 2.5 million watchers for the same stage of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Bolstered by the live match simulcasts, encores of the games and other tournament-related content, UDN, which is devoting itself entirely to the FIFA 2014 World Cup until its conclusion on July 13, averaged 136,000 watchers in total day from June 9-15, making it the most-viewed week ever for a Spanish-language sports network by that measure.
That number figures to jump considerably this week, with a full week of World Cup play, including the U.S.-Ghana match and the scoreless draw between Mexico and Brazil on June 17.
