German public broadcaster ARD "attracted more than 24 million viewers to its broadcast of World Cup match between Germany and Ghana on Saturday," according to Manuel Nunez Sanchez of QUOTENMETER. An average of 24.54 million viewers tuned in to watch the game starting at 9pm. The number translated into a market share of 76.3%. In the target demographic, the 2-2 draw attracted 9.87 million viewers and had a 83.9% share. Prior to the game, ARD attracted 15.38 million viewers to its 45-minute pregame show. The number equaled a 57.4% market share. In the target demographic, the show was watched by 6.32 million viewers and had a 65.1% share (QUOTENMETER, 6/22).
ENGLAND DEFEAT: In L.A., Scott Roxborough reported "more than 20 million Brits watched England lose 2-1 in a match that may have ended their World Cup run." The game on Thursday night "scored the best television ratings in the U.K. since the 2012 London Olympics." A peak of 20.29 million British viewers watched the match. The 70.7% market share for commercial network ITV "was the biggest U.K. audience since the nation went crazy for Team U.K. at the London Olympics two years ago." Coverage of the match (excluding halftime) "averaged 18.5 million viewers, or 67.8 percent of the viewing public." Full coverage, including pre-match warmup, averaged 13.29 million, or a 55.5% market share. England's defeat "was must-see TV across Europe." In Germany, 14.66 million "watched their traditional soccer adversary go down in defeat," a 47.1% market share for public broadcaster ZDF.
In Italy, just under 9 million viewers watched on public channel RAI, a 35.5% share, "with likely more than a million more on Sky Italia, which has not yet released overnight ratings."
In France, 8.4 million viewers caught the match on TF1, a 35.9% share. And in Spain, 3.9 million, or 25.3%, watched on Telecinco. Some 3.4 million, or 47.8% of the Dutch viewing public, watched on NOS (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/20).
IN INDIA: INDIAN TELEVISION reported Indian broadcaster Sony Six said that 14.8 million viewers "have switched on to the channel" to watch World Cup games "despite the fact that three of the five games take place post midnight." MSM group’s regional channel Sony Aaath providing live Bengali commentary during the matches in West Bengal "has proved to be a brilliant business move for the channel." Five million viewers from Kolkata "tuned in to watch the games being held in Brazil versus 4.6 million viewers that had tuned in during the 2010 World Cup." Similarly, 1.6 million viewers from the rest of Bengal watched compared to 1.2 million viewers who tuned in last time.
Beyond the metros, the ratings "have been positive in towns with a population of more than 10 million, while towns within the population range one to 10 million homes have registered a growth of six per cent" (INDIAN TELEVISION, 6/21).
