Record Pace Continues for FOX Sports’ FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2015 Coverage
The U.S. Women’s National Team played to a 0-0 draw with Sweden in its second of three FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2015 Group Stage matches last night in Winnipeg, Manitoba and like the team’s first match, it broke multiple audience records.
USA-Sweden audience highlights:
– The match attracted 4.5 million viewers, and is the most-watched FIFA Women’s World Cup Group Stage match ever (supplanting Monday’s USA-Australia match), and is the most-watched soccer match ever on FOX, displacing the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final between Barcelona and Manchester United which posted 2.6 million viewers by +73%, according to Nielsen.
– USA-Sweden is the fourth most-watched women’s soccer match of all time, trailing only the following Women’s World Cup matches: USA-China in 1999 (17,975,000); Japan-USA in 2011 (13,458,000); and Brazil-USA in 1999 (4,924,000).
– The USA-Sweden match posted an audience +36% compared to USA-Australia, the team’s first Group Stage match in this tournament (4.5 million vs. 3.3 million).
– The audience for USA-Sweden (4.5 million) is +137% better than the USA’s second FIFA Women’s World Cup Group Stage match on ESPN in 2011 (1.9 million viewers).
– Based on the fast nationals, FOX placed first for the night in primetime among broadcast networks (4.9 million viewers from 8:00-10:00 PM ET), besting ABC and CBS (4.8 million viewers).
– FOX easily won the night across all key male and adult demographics including Adults 18-49. The entire program posted 2.0 million viewers in the demo, and 2.2 million within primetime.
– Last night’s match gave FOX its best Friday in primetime since December when it televised the Pac-12 Football Championship Game.
– Viewership for USA-Sweden peaked from 9:30-9:45 PM ET with 6.4 million viewers.
– Through the first five match days for which national audience figures are available, plus the USA-Sweden match, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 is averaging 1.061 million viewers, +56% better than 2011’s comparable average of 678,000 on ESPN and ESPN 2.
– Top 10 Markets for USA-Sweden: Richmond (5.6); Las Vegas (5.1); Milwaukee (5.0); Columbus (4.5); St. Louis (4.3); Washington, D.C.(4.2); Norfolk (4.2); New Orleans (4.2); Providence (4.2); and Dayton (4.2).
– Top Markets for both USA matches combined: Washington D.C. (4.3); Richmond (4.0); St. Louis (4.0); Baltimore (3.9); Hartford (3.8); Milwaukee (3.8); Providence (3.5); Kansas City (3.4); Dayton (3.3); Las Vegas (3.2); Los Angeles (3.2); Norfolk (3.2); and Philadelphia (3.2).
