Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

by Swanhends Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:05 pm

There’s an oft-used refrain that soccer is becoming more popular in the United States. This is true, but judging from unexpected success of the Gold Cup, we can use a new verb tense. Soccer has become popular in the United States.

The Gold Cup final drew approximately 8.9 million viewers, besting Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in both total viewers (8.9 million to 8.5 million) and nearly equaling the final round of the U.S. Open (9 million). It beat both sporting events in the crucial 18-49 demographic.

Keep in mind, the Gold Cup final was televised on a Spanish network and only in English on a pay package channel (Fox Soccer). The other two events were nationally televised on NBC. Those were arguably the most popular events in those two sports. The fair comparison for soccer would have been the World Cup. This was a backwater competition. [Ed. Let's not forget the Gold Cup game was played on a Saturday night - the worst night of the week for TV - in late June.]

Soccer, played by Americans, has escaped from its cultish, elitist fan bases into the mainstream. Enthusiasm arose organically without trumped up promotion. The interesting question will be whether any of that national team enthusiasm wafts over to MLS.

http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2011/06/28/gold-cup-final-draws-8-9-million-viewers-better-than-game-7-of-stanley-cup-finals/

by BarrileteCosmico Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:23 pm

Good to see the US catching up with the rest of the world :coffee:

by RedOranje Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:00 pm

Nice to switch roles every once in a while, eh? Wink

by M99 Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:09 pm

Good to see. Footballl is slowly conquering the world.

by Sushi Master Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:11 pm

The only thing I see Golf winning football at, is at people fallen asleep/second.

by Albiceleste Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:01 pm

Who the hell likes stickpuck that isn't a penguin hugger anyway?

by RED Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:02 am

That's good to know. I'm glad also that that match was a great advert for football. More people will be interested in it even more now.

by Loshijosdequien Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:15 am

I honestly believe most of those views weren't Americans Americans mostly latinos

by Swanhends Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:16 am

I cant believe how many people watched the U.S open....

That shocked me

by Swanhends Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:17 am

Loshijosdequien wrote:I honestly believe most of those views weren't Americans Americans mostly latinos

I don't even know what to say to this.

by Loshijosdequien Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:26 am

by Swanhends Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:48 am

It wasn't americans it was latinos...

So latinos aren't americans?

by Albiceleste Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:48 am

by hrealmadrid Thu Jun 30, 2011 3:30 am

Yeah, but throw in Canada and the numbers are very different. Can't talk hockey without talking Canada.

by Loshijosdequien Thu Jun 30, 2011 5:04 am

Yes they are lol..i see your point well hopefully americans do get more into football

by BarrileteCosmico Thu Jun 30, 2011 5:17 am

bhends wrote:It wasn't americans it was latinos...

So latinos aren't americans?

His point is another though. He's not saying it doesn't count because they are latinos, but rather that football is always a popular sport in that niche, so football is perhaps not making as many strides towards becoming a universal sport in America as that statistic suggests.

by Art Morte Thu Jun 30, 2011 7:05 am

Good stuff.

by Serge Gnabry Thu Jun 30, 2011 4:50 pm

Even the CL final that was on in the afternoon in NA almost beat the STanley cup ratings.

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Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

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Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup

Re: Gold Cup Final ratings beat Game 7 of the Stanley Cup