Euro 2012 Nets ESPN Big Rating Increases
BY NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday June 20, 2012 @ 10:57pm PDTEmail This
International soccer’s popularity among U.S. viewers continues to grow rapidly. Following record ratings for the Men’s World Cup Finals in 2010, the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship is scoring major ratings increases too. Through the 24 matches in the group stage of the championship jointly hosted by Poland and Ukraine, ESPN’s live English-language broadcasts have averaged 1 million viewers, up 82% versus the group stage matches in the previous championship in 2008. The most-watched match in the group stage was a 1-1 tie in Group C between Spain and Italy on Sunday, June 10, which was seen by an average audience of 2.1 million, larger than any of the 31 telecasts in 2008, except the final on ABC between Germany vs. Spain, which was watched by an average of 3.8 million viewers. The elimination rounds of Euro 2012 start tomorrow, and with most favorites still in the running, including Italy, Spain, England, Portugal, Germany and France, the championship will likely continue to deliver big ratings for ESPN.
International soccer’s popularity among U.S. viewers continues to grow rapidly. Following record ratings for the Men’s World Cup Finals in 2010, the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship is scoring major ratings increases too. Through the 24 matches in the group stage of the championship jointly hosted by Poland and Ukraine, ESPN’s live English-language broadcasts have averaged 1 million viewers, up 82% versus the group stage matches in the previous championship in 2008. The most-watched match in the group stage was a 1-1 tie in Group C between Spain and Italy on Sunday, June 10, which was seen by an average audience of 2.1 million, larger than any of the 31 telecasts in 2008, except the final on ABC between Germany vs. Spain, which was watched by an average of 3.8 million viewers. The elimination rounds of Euro 2012 start tomorrow, and with most favorites still in the running, including Italy, Spain, England, Portugal, Germany and France, the championship will likely continue to deliver big ratings for ESPN.
Gah, soccer. That most boring of sports that ESPN has decided to invest money in and bombard Americans with in the hopes that they’ll like it.
Even though they don’t.
You’re an idiot.
What about poker, bowling, baseball, softball, and lacrosse? ESPN airs those to dwindling ratings, as well. Hell, just this week a RERUN of an episode of Big Bang Theory outdid Baseball night in America and Fox’s game of the week COMBINED.
You either have the reading comprehension oak tree or you just don’t understand TV ratings because there seems to be millions of Americans who are interested enough in soccer to watch the Euro Cup.
only Americans dont understand the beauty of soccer (well, most of them!)…but America is a melting pot and with the number of foreigners living there, I think it’s a smart move by ESPN to cater to those people who otherwise would watch their beloved soccer games from some live streaming websites.
Your a big loser to be hating on a sport, not an enemy or a criminal or a child molester but you are hating on a sport (the world’s most popular sport).
moron
That is right the real football(soccer). The one that you actually play with the foot and a ball(round object).Thank God that every year there is less haters of the beutiful game.
Ignarance doesnt have to be bought..ESPN has understand that soccer does sell and draw ratings, the most popular sport in the Globe..of course ESPN has to be in with it, DONT HATE A SPORT..hate those ignorant to it
Ratings don’t lie, millions of people disagree with you. Go watch an exciting baseball game.
“exciting baseball game”
An oxymoron
hahahahahahahahahaha!!!
It was supposed to be
Did you read the article? You’re obviously wrong, because ratings are way up. ESPN is just presenting another in-demand option, and Americans are thankfully enjoying the real football. The fact that you call it boring means you’ve never watched an entire game or loathe sports altogether. And what do you care if Americans love “soccer”? It doesn’t affect your existence one bit.
Soccer is most watched sport in the world hardly boring is it, and it has way more action in it then baseball and american football which have to many breaks of play in them.
The most popular sport in the world, you watch baseball which is rounders, basketball which is netball, or American football which rugby for girls!
Great news. It’s about time football (soccer) got more coverage in the US. It’s not the most popular sport in the world for no reason!
Also consider, as with most sporting event ratings, that these numbers undersell the actual amount of viewers since A LOT of fans congregate at sports bars, pubs and other venues to watch the games together. Especially this tournament, which is so specifically geared at fans of specific nations banding together to root for their national teams. There’s no doubt the # of viewers is actually much, much higher.
Great to be able to watch soccer but… ESPN:
Please hire hosts that know something about soccer (but thank you for not bringing Mike Tirico back).
Please show more replays. More enjoyable if we saw some of the cool tricks the players do that can’t be seen live.
Please show more highlights on Euro 2012 Tonight for those who tune in who couldn’t watch the game or just want to watch the hightlights after returning home from work. More footage of how the shots and goals developed and less talking.
Just copy what Fox Soccer Channel does with the Champion League Games.
Thank you ESPN for airing the Euro’s. Soccer is by far the greatest sport in the world.