Women's World Cup matches on Fox networks have averaged a 1.0 overnight to this pointGETTY IMAGES
Overnight ratings for the FIFA Women’s World Cup from France continue to pace slightly ahead of the ’15 event from Canada through the quarterfinal round, which concluded Saturday. Matches across Fox, FS1 and FS2 have averaged a 1.0 overnight heading into the semifinals, up from a 0.9 four years ago. Sweden’s upset of Germany drew a 1.5 on FS1 on Saturday afternoon, while Netherlands-Italy earlier in the morning drew a 0.8 overnight. For a men’s soccer comparison, FS1 on Sunday night drew a 1.0 overnight for U.S.-Curacao in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Gold Cup (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).
SIDE EFFECTS: Fox Sports VP/Research, League Operations & Strategy Michael Mulvihill noted afternoon World Cup kickoff times "can be a challenge for TV" but also are a "boon to streaming." The last two USWNT matches, both weekday afternoon knockout games, are the "two most-streamed matches" in Women's World Cup history (TWITTER.com, 6/29).
GROWING THE GAME? THE ATHLETIC's Richard Deitsch writes the World Cup TV ratings show that there is an "audience for women’s soccer beyond the World Cup," and the exposure during this month is "far and away the best publicity and visibility for the sport." It is "immensely frustrating that the NWSL does not have a national TV deal following the dissolution of the A&E Networks contract" in February. Deitsch: "I hope ESPN or another big network would at least pick up the NWSL championship game as a one-off" (THEATHLETIC.com, 7/1).
