ADVERTISEMENT

Massive ratings for World Cup final

Sean Miller Fan

Lair Hall of Famer
Oct 30, 2001
64,715
20,787
113

25 million. Record-setting. Ranks ahead of CFP and only behind Super Bowl in American television championship games.

Beat the NFL on Sunday. I know its regular season vs once every 4 years but that is still pretty incredible
 

25 million. Record-setting. Ranks ahead of CFP and only behind Super Bowl in American television championship games.

Beat the NFL on Sunday. I know its regular season vs once every 4 years but that is still pretty incredible
Beat the NFL? So, it beat all the NFL games played on Sunday combined? I watched it, but to be honest, if it was directly up against a Steelers game, I'd watch the 5-8 Steelers. Being in the morning helped their viewership for sure. I love soccer too, but it remains behind American football, that's why I like that MLS plays a summer schedule, because I don't watch much soccer at all beginning September. In June and July there aren't any other sports that I'd watch on TV, so that's my main soccer time of year.
 
Beat the NFL? So, it beat all the NFL games played on Sunday combined? I watched it, but to be honest, if it was directly up against a Steelers game, I'd watch the 5-8 Steelers. Being in the morning helped their viewership for sure. I love soccer too, but it remains behind American football, that's why I like that MLS plays a summer schedule, because I don't watch much soccer at all beginning September. In June and July there aren't any other sports that I'd watch on TV, so that's my main soccer time of year.
Yep, soccer events in the summer are part of the appeal of the sport, as well as Saturday and Sunday morning EPL games to fill the time before NFL kickoff, as well as to give us a sport to follow after the NFL season ends in Feb.

I just saw that MLS is completely revamping their playoffs and going to World Cup group play followed by knockouts. I still am not ready to start watching, but at least they are thinking outside the box.
 
i turned it off after 2 - 0 at halftime lol. The one freakin time soccer is exciting, i miss it. In my defense, my little man had hoops practice but i did give up on it, thinking a 2 goal lead was the nail in the coffin..
 
i turned it off after 2 - 0 at halftime lol. The one freakin time soccer is exciting, i miss it. In my defense, my little man had hoops practice but i did give up on it, thinking a 2 goal lead was the nail in the coffin..
My wife says all the time the game is over. And it’s always at 2-0. I tell her just wait, it’s not over. She did the same thing with womens NCAA final and World Cup final.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zeldas Open Roof
Yep, soccer events in the summer are part of the appeal of the sport,
I actually love summer World Cup or Gold Cup, Euro Cup, UEFA CL, even the Europe vs. MLS Friendlies. That's the time of year I watch it most.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fk_Pitt

25 million. Record-setting. Ranks ahead of CFP and only behind Super Bowl in American television championship games.

Beat the NFL on Sunday. I know its regular season vs once every 4 years but that is still pretty incredible
which is it?

 
Beat the NFL? So, it beat all the NFL games played on Sunday combined? I watched it, but to be honest, if it was directly up against a Steelers game, I'd watch the 5-8 Steelers. Being in the morning helped their viewership for sure. I love soccer too, but it remains behind American football, that's why I like that MLS plays a summer schedule, because I don't watch much soccer at all beginning September. In June and July there aren't any other sports that I'd watch on TV, so that's my main soccer time of year.
That used to be the NASCAR thingy....on how they tried to sell its popularity over football. They tried to compare a singular event that draws the entire sport to one place versus a sport being played at 16 different venues on that day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pitt79
I rarely watch soccer, but watched the USA play and the final on Sunday. It was a heck of a game.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Fk_Pitt
That used to be the NASCAR thingy....on how they tried to sell its popularity over football. They tried to compare a singular event that draws the entire sport to one place versus a sport being played at 16 different venues on that day.

Nobody is saying its more popular than the NFL. But on one day, one soccer game (yes, an epic WC final) had more Americans watch it than any other NFL game on that day. In the United States. That's something
 

25 million. Record-setting. Ranks ahead of CFP and only behind Super Bowl in American television championship games.

Beat the NFL on Sunday. I know its regular season vs once every 4 years but that is still pretty incredible
But…….all those casual soccer fans that tuned in that the Lair soccer geeks are always bitching about…….

Like me and literally 98% of that 25 million.
 
Not sure what is in the article is accurate. Sports Television Ratings.
The article combines the NBC ratings with the telemundo ratings and peacock streaming. The ratings you list don't include the streaming viewership. The article says 1/3 of Telemundo's 9 million total viewers were streaming, and your ratings show almost 6 million Telemundo television viewers.

So your ratings show 16.8 million Fox viewers and 5.5 million Telemundo TV viewers. add 3 million Peacock streaming viewers and you get a US audience of 25 million.
 
The 25 million was across Fox and Telemundo (which was also streamed on Peacock). Second-most watched game in the U.S. behind the 2015 women's World Cup.
Yes but still more like equal to NFL on a mid to late regular season game.
 
Good, it was a great game. I’m not a huge soccer guy but I’m happy to see that people watched it because the World Cup is a cool event. If nothing else, that group of kids that the USA put out there (and with an average age of like 23 that’s exactly what they were) inspired people in this country to watch. Hopefully more young kids are getting interested now because it would be very satisfying for the USA to dominate at soccer like we do with other sports.
 
Good, it was a great game. I’m not a huge soccer guy but I’m happy to see that people watched it because the World Cup is a cool event. If nothing else, that group of kids that the USA put out there (and with an average age of like 23 that’s exactly what they were) inspired people in this country to watch. Hopefully more young kids are getting interested now because it would be very satisfying for the USA to dominate at soccer like we do with other sports.
But that’s the thing. young kids are playing. US Youth soccer is the largest participation sports organization in the world. More kids play soccer in the US than all other sports combined. On top of that, every kid seems to play FIFA on their game consoles. When I told my son who our Pitt Goalkeeper is, he said “oh yeah I know who he is, his Dad is one of the best GK to use on Fifa.” And in large suburban HS’s, the soccer players aren’t the unathletic kids who couldn’t play football like they were when I was in HS decades ago. Their games aren’t the large community events that Friday night football is, but they’re a part of the student body fabric and spirit.

The difference is the career pathway still is not great domestically and the kids have to go to Europe to make it big. And of course soccer isn’t a street game in this country, so it’s not being played in our big urban centers or on fields throughout Florida, Georgia, etc.

Old crotchety men like John Steigerwald and guys in depressed areas don’t get it and therefore don’t like it and they are all too happy to tell you. But times are changing. I won’t be here to see it, but Id bet within 2-3 generations our domestic league will be a top league in the world and it will be our #2 sport, or higher. We saw a boom 20 years ago and will eventually see the effects of the 2026 World Cup to be held here.

As I posted in another thread, ESPN made a point to say that the NFL was an afterthought in 1972. Then the immaculate reception happened, the steeler dynasty happened, and the sport blew up to what it is today. Times are always changing and I suspect our sporting landscape will continue to do so.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AJSH2P
But that’s the thing. young kids are playing. US Youth soccer is the largest participation sports organization in the world. More kids play soccer in the US than all other sports combined. On top of that, every kid seems to play FIFA on their game consoles. When I told my son who our Pitt Goalkeeper is, he said “oh yeah I know who he is, his Dad is one of the best GK to use on Fifa.” And in large suburban HS’s, the soccer players aren’t the unathletic kids who couldn’t play football like they were when I was in HS decades ago. Their games aren’t the large community events that Friday night football is, but they’re a part of the student body fabric and spirit.

The difference is the career pathway still is not great domestically and the kids have to go to Europe to make it big. And of course soccer isn’t a street game in this country, so it’s not being played in our big urban centers or on fields throughout Florida, Georgia, etc.

Old crotchety men like John Steigerwald and guys in depressed areas don’t get it and therefore don’t like it and they are all too happy to tell you. But times are changing. I won’t be here to see it, but Id bet within 2-3 generations our domestic league will be a top league in the world and it will be our #2 sport, or higher. We saw a boom 20 years ago and will eventually see the effects of the 2026 World Cup to be held here.

As I posted in another thread, ESPN made a point to say that the NFL was an afterthought in 1972. Then the immaculate reception happened, the steeler dynasty happened, and the sport blew up to what it is today. Times are always changing and I suspect our sporting landscape will continue to do so.

Football, basketball, and baseball are still too ingrained in American culture for soccer to compete with its best athletes. Its making slight, very slight improvements in that area and still has to rely almost soley on the sons of former D1 players/pros or Europeans with a US military dad. You'd like to see more of the Tyler Adams type kids, who has the athleticism to have gone far in other sports but chose soccer. And as you said, soccer isnt really played in the inner cities and MLS/US Soccer has done NOTHING, with all of its money, to engage these kids. So you lose an entire demographic. You look at France and almost their whole team is comprised of players of African descent, who come from lower class backgrounds in urban areas. Those kids in the US dont play soccer.
 
Although I would love to see your vision come true FK, I think it is a pipe dream. Soccer in America likely won’t get there because the sport is already a glamour sport through the world and with huge monies for so many. Just go to Netflix and Prime and search soccer. You will find tons of documentaries of superstars through the world. U.S. Kids see that money and want it NOW. Back in Franco’s day NFL money was still relatively low and so there was a collective effort to expand teh game and make it the most popular sport in America. Additionally there are no NFL leagues through the world at that time so the effort was required for the sport to succeed. Soccer is arguably ridiculously successful in the world and does not need the U.S. at all.
 
Nobody is saying its more popular than the NFL. But on one day, one soccer game (yes, an epic WC final) had more Americans watch it than any other NFL game on that day. In the United States. That's something
Two points...

1) It was in the morning and not directly up against any NFL game. If it had been played at 1:00pm, I'm sure the ratings aren't as good.

2) The people that viewed both the WCF and NFL football were divided among at least a dozen NFL games vs. one soccer game.
 
But that’s the thing. young kids are playing. US Youth soccer is the largest participation sports organization in the world. More kids play soccer in the US than all other sports combined. On top of that, every kid seems to play FIFA on their game consoles. When I told my son who our Pitt Goalkeeper is, he said “oh yeah I know who he is, his Dad is one of the best GK to use on Fifa.” And in large suburban HS’s, the soccer players aren’t the unathletic kids who couldn’t play football like they were when I was in HS decades ago. Their games aren’t the large community events that Friday night football is, but they’re a part of the student body fabric and spirit.

The difference is the career pathway still is not great domestically and the kids have to go to Europe to make it big. And of course soccer isn’t a street game in this country, so it’s not being played in our big urban centers or on fields throughout Florida, Georgia, etc.

Old crotchety men like John Steigerwald and guys in depressed areas don’t get it and therefore don’t like it and they are all too happy to tell you. But times are changing. I won’t be here to see it, but Id bet within 2-3 generations our domestic league will be a top league in the world and it will be our #2 sport, or higher. We saw a boom 20 years ago and will eventually see the effects of the 2026 World Cup to be held here.

As I posted in another thread, ESPN made a point to say that the NFL was an afterthought in 1972. Then the immaculate reception happened, the steeler dynasty happened, and the sport blew up to what it is today. Times are always changing and I suspect our sporting landscape will continue to do so.
It blows my mind the old guard Pittsburgh sports casters who have an absolute disdain for sports that either Pittsburgh don't have or wasn't popular in 1960. The NBA, Soccer, hell.....it took many of them kicking and screaming dragging when the Pens got good and popular.
 
Two points...

1) It was in the morning and not directly up against any NFL game. If it had been played at 1:00pm, I'm sure the ratings aren't as good.

2) The people that viewed both the WCF and NFL football were divided among at least a dozen NFL games vs. one soccer game.

No crap
 
It blows my mind the old guard Pittsburgh sports casters who have an absolute disdain for sports that either Pittsburgh don't have or wasn't popular in 1960. The NBA, Soccer, hell.....it took many of them kicking and screaming dragging when the Pens got good and popular.
My high school still doesn't have soccer teams, and I'm fully convinced that it's because they find the existence of soccer in any form offensive to the football program. :)
 
My high school still doesn't have soccer teams, and I'm fully convinced that it's because they find the existence of soccer in any form offensive to the football program.
I know of a couple of schools that have dropped boys soccer, not enough interest.
 
I know of a couple of schools that have dropped boys soccer, not enough interest.
I suppose that might depend on the youth soccer programs in that area. If there was a good youth soccer league you could get 15-20 kids, that's all you really need.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Parkview57
And in large suburban HS’s, the soccer players aren’t the unathletic kids who couldn’t play football like they were when I was in HS decades ago.
As a former soccer player from decades ago, I resent that statement.

I don’t deny it, but I still resent it. 😊😊😊
 
As a former soccer player from decades ago, I resent that statement.

I don’t deny it, but I still resent it. 😊😊😊
Some of my friends who played at Pitt decades ago still excel on the field. There were exceptions to the rule back then because they were and still are great athletes. I joke with them about it. I’m sure you were too.
 
My wife says all the time the game is over. And it’s always at 2-0. I tell her just wait, it’s not over. She did the same thing with womens NCAA final and World Cup final.
When the score went 2-0 people I was watching with said it was over. I say Naah, it like having a 33-0 half time lead
 
Some of my friends who played at Pitt decades ago still excel on the field. There were exceptions to the rule back then because they were and still are great athletes. I joke with them about it. I’m sure you were too.
I always said in gym class and intramurals, basketball separated those who had natural athletic ability versus those who maybe fast, or have one particular skill that they excel at.
 
I always said in gym class and intramurals, basketball separated those who had natural athletic ability versus those who maybe fast, or have one particular skill that they excel at.
I’ve always thought basketball players were the best athletes.

What’s funny is watching some of my favorite pro soccer players try to shoot a basketball. It’s also funny watching basketball players try to play soccer.

But generally speaking, I side with basketball players as athletes.
 
I’ve always thought basketball players were the best athletes.

What’s funny is watching some of my favorite pro soccer players try to shoot a basketball. It’s also funny watching basketball players try to play soccer.

But generally speaking, I side with basketball players as athletes.

Pitt Live Wire did a thing on the wrestling team having to do a series a challenges. One was making a 3. It was honestly one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Fk_Pitt
I side with basketball players as athletes.
It depends on the metric you are measuring with. An Olympic Games with Track and field/Basketball/baseball/ wrestling/ boxing/Weightlifting/ between NFL and NBA, who is gonna win? Also, basketball is not played at top human speed, ever, the court being 94' or so keeps the game slow, the top sprinters in the world reach top speed at about 32 meters so getting to top human speed or even close is impossible, and the distances are even shorter in real play, quickness yes, speed, no.
 
Last edited:
Pitt Live Wire did a thing on the wrestling team having to do a series a challenges. One was making a 3. It was honestly one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen.
But those wrestlers would probably easily pin LeBron and Messi too! :)
 
ADVERTISEMENT