US-Ghana sets viewing records for men's World Cup

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—The United States’ 2-1 loss to Ghana in extra time, which eliminated the Americans from the tournament in South Africa, was the most-watched men’s World Cup game in both households and viewers.

Saturday’s game, which began at 2:30 p.m. EDT on ABC, received an 8.2 fast national rating, ESPN said Sunday. It was seen in 9,455,000 households and by 14,863,000 viewers. Only the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, featuring the United States and China at the Rose Bowl, averaged more households (11,307,000) and viewers (17,975,000) for a soccer game.

The U.S.-Ghana game was also the third highest-rated men’s World Cup game on record, behind only the 1994 final between Italy and Brazil (9.5 rating) and the quarterfinal that same year between the United States and Brazil (9.3 rating). The 1999 Women’s World Cup final delivered an 11.4 rating.

Through 50 games, the ESPN networks (ESPN/ESPN2/ABC) are averaging a 1.8 U.S. rating, 2,081,000 households and 2,781,000 viewers, up 48 percent, 54 percent and 60 percent from the 2006 World Cup, respectively.





TOP MARKETS:

San Diego (15.4)


Washington, D.C. (13.8)


San Francisco (13.3)


Cincinnati (12.9)


Las Vegas (11.7)

Austin (11.4)


Columbus, Ohio (10.6)


Norfolk, Va. (10.6)


Seattle-Tacoma (10.6)


West Palm Beach (10.5)