Two Chinese online streaming sites that paid for the rights to broadcast games from the World Cup on mobile devices "revealed huge viewer numbers," according to Li Tao of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Youku, an online streaming platform that competes with Tencent Video and Baidu-backed iQiyi in China, said that more than 180 million unique users -- or around one-seventh of China's 1.3 billion population -- watched games on its mobile apps during the one-month tournament period. The company added that the final between France and Croatia drew 24 million unique viewers, "double the number registered for the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia on June 14." Migu Video, an online video site operated by telecom China Mobile, said that its World Cup match broadcasts "were viewed 4.3 billion times in total during the period," while the final game was viewed 200 million times (SCMP, 7/18).
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS: The ECONOMIC TIMES' Guarav Laghate reported in India, where viewership is "benchmarked by cricket," the World Cup "achieved a record high" by attracting 70 million online viewers, "shedding the myth that the sport is popular only in certain pockets." According to Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), 70 million viewers across the country tuned in to watch the World Cup on its digital OTT player, SonyLIV. And while it is "far below" the 202 million viewers that Hotstar claims for the Indian Premier League this year, the World Cup viewership "is a big jump." SPN Head of Digital Business Uday Sodhi said, "It has beaten our expectations" (ECONOMIC TIMES, 7/18).
