or


[07/10/14 - 02:24 PM]
Netherlands-Argentina: ESPN's Highest-Rated and Most-Viewed FIFA World Cup Semifinal Match
ESPN spins the numbers for Wednesday, July 9.

[via press release from ESPN]

Netherlands-Argentina: ESPN's Highest-Rated and Most-Viewed FIFA World Cup Semifinal Match

· ESPN Digital sets new record for non-U.S. match

ESPN's telecast of Wednesday's Netherlands vs. Argentina FIFA World Cup semifinal match - a 0-0 tie in which Argentina advanced to the Final past Netherlands in a penalty kick shootout at Arena de Sao Paulo - ranks as the highest-rated and most-viewed World Cup semifinal match ever on any U.S. network, according to Nielsen. The match averaged a 4.3 U.S. household rating and 6,823,000 viewers.

Netherlands vs. Argentina surpassed the previous best World Cup semifinal - Brazil vs. Germany on Tuesday, July 8, which was seen by an average audience of 6,643,000 viewers based on a 4.2 rating. This World Cup in Brazil has produced the top-two semifinal matches in the quadrennial tournament, and the 2014 semifinals average of a 4.2 U.S. household rating is up 56 percent from a 2.7 rating in 2010, and up 45 percent from a 2.9 rating in 2006.

Additionally, the Netherlands vs. Argentina semifinal match ranks as the highest-rated and most-viewed World Cup match on ESPN or ESPN2 not involving the U.S. Men's National Team.

Top 10 markets for Netherlands-Argentina: Baltimore (7.1), New York (7.0), Washington, DC (6.9), Hartford/New Haven (6.7), Miami/Ft. Lauderdale (6.3), San Diego (6.3), San Francisco (6.1), Providence (5.8), Boston (5.3), and Columbus and Richmond/Petersburg (tied - 5.1).

Significant TV Viewership Increases Over 2010 and 2006

Through 62 matches of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC are averaging 4,289,000 viewers and a 2.7 US household rating per match. The 2014 audience marks increases of 43 percent (vs. 2,989,000 in 2010) and 108 percent (2,060,000 in 2006) in viewers, and 42 percent (vs. 1.9 in 2010) and 93 percent (1.4 in 2006) in ratings. (Note: Ratings and viewership numbers are based on the specific match windows, not including pre-match studio coverage.)

To date, the highest-rated markets on the ESPN networks are: Washington, DC (4.7), New York (4.4), San Francisco (4.2), Los Angeles (3.8), San Diego (3.7), Hartford/New Haven (3.7), Miami/Ft. Lauderdale (3.6), Orlando (3.6), Richmond/Petersburg (3.4) and West Palm Beach (3.4).

ESPN Digital sets new record for non-U.S. match

For the second time in as many days, WatchESPN established new highs for a non-U.S. team soccer match, as 2.4 million unique viewers watched Wednesday's Netherlands vs. Argentina semifinal for a total of 140 million minutes, providing a 12 percent lift to ESPN's English-language television viewership. Netherlands vs. Argentina surpassed Tuesday's Brazil vs. Germany semifinal, which had 2.1 million unique viewers and 90 million minutes viewed.

ESPNFC.com yesterday had 6.9 million video starts, up nearly 1,500% percent over the comparable day for World Cup 2010, while ESPN's SportsCenter app had 3.6 million unique users, a 445% percent gain from the comparable day in 2010.

2014 FIFA World Cup Coverage Concludes with Germany-Argentina Final

ESPN's coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil will conclude this weekend with the Third Place and Final matches. Lead play-by-play commentator Ian Darke and Steve McManaman will call the Germany vs. Argentina final with reporter Jeremy Schaap. The match will be broadcast from Rio de Janeiro's famed Estadio do Maracana on ABC and WATCH ABC on Sunday, July 13, at 3 p.m. ET. JP Dellacamera and Tommy Smyth will call the action for ESPN Radio. FIFA World Cup Matchday will precede the game at 1 p.m.

On Saturday, July 12, host nation Brazil will look for redemption after a stunning 7-1 loss to Germany, as it faces the Netherlands at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN. Jon Champion and Stewart Robson will describe the match from Brasilia's Estadio Nacional, while Ross Dyer and Shep Messing have the call for ESPN Radio. The match will also be available on ESPN3 and WatchESPN.





  [july 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[10/28/25 - 02:07 PM]
"Sunday Night Football" on Record Pace Through Week 8, Averaging 24.7 Million Viewers on NBC and Peacock
Packers-Steelers audience peaked at 28.2 million viewers on NBC and Peacock in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET).

[10/28/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of October 20 - "A House of Dynamite" Hits the Target at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Plus: "Nobody Wants This," "The Elixir," and "The Monster of Florence" rise to the top in their opening weekends.

[10/27/25 - 12:03 PM]
Second-Most Viewed NBA Opening Week on ESPN Since 2014; "Inside the NBA" Averaged 1M Viewers in Its Opening Week Debut on ESPN
Last week's NBA coverage averaged 2.2 million viewers.

[10/24/25 - 02:54 PM]
ESPN's Third-Most Watched NBA Season-Opening Wednesday Ever
The two-game slate averaged 2.33 million viewers, up 44 percent from last year.

[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM]
"20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board
In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.

[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week
"Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week
The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.

[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM]
Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock
Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.

[10/23/25 - 11:28 AM]
"High Potential" Rises to Season High as Show Nears Fall Finale
ABC's popular drama rose to a multiplatform season high in Total Viewers (12.50 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.31 rating) after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms.

[10/22/25 - 03:06 PM]
FOX Sports Delivers Most-Watched ALCS Game Since 2017
9,028,000 viewers tuned in across FOX, FS1, FOX Deportes & FOX Sports streaming services for the Toronto Blue Jays' ALCS Game 7 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

[10/22/25 - 08:07 AM]
ESPN College Football on ABC Delivers Top Three Games Across All Networks for Saturday, Oct. 18 - Off to Best Start Since '09
Coverage of Ole Miss at Georgia averaged 9.8 million viewers.

[10/22/25 - 08:03 AM]
FOX NFL's America's Game of the Week Delivers 25,630,000 Average Viewers for Commanders-Cowboys
Season-to-date, the NFL on FOX is off to its best start to the season since 2014, averaging 19,646,000 viewers and up +4% over last year's season-to-date average.

[10/22/25 - 07:44 AM]
"9-1-1: Nashville" Debuts with Over 12 Million Total Audience to Date
The star-studded, high-octane first-responder drama delivered 7.80 million Total Viewers and 1.51 rating among Adults 18-49, excluding encores.

[10/22/25 - 06:21 AM]
ABC's Telecast of Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix Draws Event's Largest TV Audience on Record
Viewership peaked at 1.6 million between 4:15-4:30 p.m. as Max Verstappen drove to victory, further tightening up the battle for the F1 driver's championship with only five races left in the season.

[10/21/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of October 13: "The Woman in Cabin 10" Sails Smoothly to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
In the final stretch to Halloween, those lured in by the story of the OG horror villain put "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" at No. 1 on the English TV list with 9.5 million views.