ESPN's World Cup Opening Game Scores 55% Increase In Viewers Compared to 2010

ESPN’s telecast of the opening match of the 2014 World Cup between Brazil and Croatia netted a 2.8 rating and 4.4 million viewers. The number of viewers was 55% higher than the opening match of the 2010 World Cup between South Africa and Mexico, but 14% lower than Univision‘s numbers for the same Brazil-Croatia opener.

The match also placed as the fourth-highest in ESPN history for a Group Stage match, trailing only three United States matches.

The top-10 metered markets for the telecast were:

• Washington, DC (5.1),
• Boston (5.0),
• Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (4.7),
• Los Angeles (4.6),
• New York (4.5),
• San Francisco (4.3),
• Hartford-New Haven (4.3),
• Providence (3.9),
• Austin (3.9) and
• Orlando (3.8)

SEE MORE — Everything you need to know about the World Cup.