Games across Fox and FS1 to date are down 46% compared to the ’14 event in BrazilGETTY IMAGES
Fox Sports is averaging 2.1 million TV-only viewers after 17 FIFA World Cup matches, a figure far short of the ’14 and ’10 events at the same point in those tournaments, when the USMNT was playing. Games across Fox and FS1 to date are down 46% compared to ’14 from Brazil, which also featured better time slots on ESPN networks for U.S. viewing audiences (4.0 million viewers). Excluding a popular U.S. match from that ’14 figure, and Fox Sports is down 39%. Fox Sports’ numbers are slightly better when streaming is included, but the bump is not incredibly significant (closer to 2.3 million). Compared to ’10 from South Africa, which has similar time slots to Russia, Fox Sports’ WC coverage is down 31% compared to 3.1 million viewers. Removing a U.S. match, and Fox Sports is down 14%. The declines for Fox Sports also come as its broadcast net has aired more games to date than ABC did in ’14 (four) and ’10 (two). One aspect not included in these viewership figures is out-of-home viewing (bars, restaurants, etc.). Estimates from Fox Sports have OOH viewing providing as much as a 20-30% lift to in-home and streaming numbers. Meanwhile, Telemundo is averaging 1.9 million TV-only viewers for WC coverage, which goes to 2.1 million with streaming. Telemundo's figure is down 47% from the same period during '14 on Univision networks, and down 18% compared to '10 (figures include U.S. matches). Given the time slots, streaming has been strong for Telemundo. Croatia's upset of Argentina on Thursday was the most-watched live stream event in Spanish-language history in the U.S. (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
CITY LIMITS: In Austin, Kevin Lyttle noted for a city "without a pro soccer team," the Austin TV market "shows an enormous appetite for the World Cup." Fox Sports Exec VP/Research, League Operations & Strategy Mike Mulvihill said that Austin was "tied for second place" among all U.S. markets through the first six days of the tournament. Mulvihill: "We know that American soccer viewers tend to be younger, tech-savvy, well-educated. These are all qualities that align well with Austin. And obviously we know from our previous experience with the NFL and the Big 12 that Austin is just generally a tremendous sports town.” Meanwhile, Lyttle noted Telemundo's affiliate in Austin is also "doing well, solidly inside the national top 15" (STATESMAN.com, 6/21).
KEEPING PEOPLE IN THE DARK: In S.F., Bruce Jenkins noted Fox has the domestic "exclusivity on all video footage" from the World Cup, which is "just inexcusable for an event of this magnitude." ESPN is "limited to still photographs, and the network obviously isn’t too happy about it." Monday's entire late-night episode of "SportsCenter " aired "with no mention of the World Cup." ESPN's Scott Van Pelt has "solicited stick-figure drawings from schoolkids to illustrate what happened." Van Pelt: "We’re just making light of the fact that we’re not able to show it” (SFCHRONICLE.com, 6/21).
