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ESPN Ratings Taking a Dive After Ghana Win
Published: 6/26/2010 4:35 PM
Last Modified: 6/26/2010 4:35 PM

Announcers and analysts on the U.S.-Ghana World Cup soccer match sounded completely crushed by the 2-1 extra time loss by the United States.
Yes, they are announcers for an American audience.
However, they were also dejected because ESPN's ratings for the next two weeks will be hammered by the absence of the U.S. team.
Ghana scored two terrific goals, both off defensive breakdowns, and the U.S. could counter with just one easy penalty kick by Landon Donovan.
Ghana appeared to deserve the victory.
It ended the U.S. run in the World Cup at the round of 16.
There were high hopes for this U.S. team and the Americans did win their group.
However, many believed the U.S. had the ability to not only get past Ghana but perhaps knock out Uruguay and get to the semifinals.
That did not happen because the U.S. gave Ghana two great chances and they cashed in both.



Reader Comments 14 Total
New Dark Ages (3 years ago)
The World Cup is like the Olympics: It's a filler for the gap between the end of the NBA playoffs and the start of college football, nothing more.
Kilgore.Trout (3 years ago)
US played well, just couldn't cash in. Ghana connected on their runs.

Would have loved to see us play Uraguay. Think we would have been the underdog.
Dr. Strangelove (3 years ago)
Kilgore it would have been awesome, we had a shot, Ghana just outplayed us- I think this World Cup will be a game changer for a lot of new soccer fans, I know it was for me.
grace o'malley (3 years ago)
as a long term soccer fan (simply because i was with a pro for 13 years)i was quite excited to see this new found interest in a great sport.
TU Homer (3 years ago)
RU Xperienced is an idiot. Don't you know ESPN events are "events"? What's your comparison point? Did you find what you were going to research against? Yeah, right, he's going to RESEARCH the ratings to prove that no one watches soccer...

What's your problem with soccer? Did you happen to go into just about any bar during the games and see the crowds?

Goober...
Ignatz (3 years ago)
Funny how someone can say, "I don't like football", or "I don't like baseball" and the commenters are silent but dare say that soccer as a spectator sport the way it is now played and officiated is about as interesting as senior curling and the hounds of hel descend upon one.
TU Homer (3 years ago)
Everyone I know, and I'm gainfully employed, is watching and tracking the World Cup games. What's crazy, is many of these folks are watching non-US games. In fact, the television in my breakroom is constantly on World Cup games throughout the day. Folks took their lunch breaks to watch the US games, and others will take breaks to watch portions of other games. I work and live in Tulsa.

To state your "findings" prove that only unemployed and school children are watching the matches proves to me you don't have any reliable data. Besides, the US match was on Saturday, and I'm confident drew huge numbers.
TU Homer (3 years ago)
USA vs England match had ratings of 6.2, and Germany vs Australia had ratings of 2.6. These games were broadcasted on ABC.

Further, the broadcasts were watched by many via webstream. Here is a statement from ESPN on the USA vs Algeria match on ESPN3, which is ABCs webstream site for sports. Note, ESPN/ABC claims this was the most watched sporting event in history on their webstreaming service.

Statement from ESPN regarding ESPN3 audience for U.S.-Algeria match
Our methodology follows the traditional video measurement of calculating unique viewers AND time spent viewing, resulting in the largest U.S. audience ever for a sports event on the web.

Lastly, the USA vs Algeria match (on ESPN) had a 4.6 rating. That's on cable.
Badgerjohn (3 years ago)
I don't think it'll take that much of a dive, if we look at 2006. The US was bounced after a terrible first round, but the title game wound up getting more viewers than that years championship games for the NBA, NHL or World Series.
Badgerjohn (3 years ago)
RU Experienced: Thought about a career as a cable news host? They love people who make up "facts"
Badgerjohn (3 years ago)
And back to the original thesis of the article: At 4:30 p.m. - less than a hour after the final whistle of the US-Ghana game - John Klein added an entry entitled "ESPN Ratings Taking a Dive After Ghana Win."

Quite a prediction, especially based on past data (2006 ratings)
SS_Hippy (3 years ago)
i was bummed out by the USA loss but i still watched Argentina vs Mexico on ABC.
Badgerjohn (3 years ago)
Update, from Nielsen:
"ESPN/ABC was up 8% in ratings for the four quarterfinal matches from '06. ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 is averaging a 1.9 U.S rating and 2.9 million viewers for the entire tournament through the quarterfinals, up 39% and 50%, respectively, from a 1.4 rating and 2.0 million viewers in '06."

UP from '06? UP? Even AFTER the US is out? If I had made such a bold statement as "Ratings Taking A Dive," I'd print a retraction. But I shouldn't expect one from the Tulsa World, I guess.
Badgerjohn (3 years ago)
Final tally: 9.9 rating on ABC, 24 million on all U.S. Networks showing the game.

24 million. In the U.S. Nearly 5 million MORE than in 2006. More than the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup, NCAA Hoops Championship.
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Klein's Korner

Tulsa World senior sports columnist John Klein is in his fourth decade of covering sports. He started his newspaper career at The Daily Ardmoreite in 1977 and moved to the Tulsa World in 1978. He served 10 years as sports editor for the Tulsa World before being named to his current position in 2005. He also spent five years as the Southwest Conference beat writer for the Houston Post. He has won many writing awards and is a former Oklahoma Sports Writer of the Year.

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