Broadcasters Score with World Cup Final

JOHANNESBURG: The global television audience for yesterday’s World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands could top 700 million, outrating the 2006 event in Germany.

According to Eurodata TV Worldwide, Telecinco in Spain scored a 78.1 percent share as 13.4 million viewers tuned in to watch their team pick up their first World Cup win. Ned 1 in the Netherlands had a 90.6 percent share with 8.5 million viewers.

Germany, knocked out in the semis against Spain, recorded 25.1 million viewers on ZDF (less than the 31 million that watched the Germany-Spain match on ARD last week). In Italy, which took the title in 2006 but didn’t make it past the opening group phase this year, 11.4 million watched the final on Rai 1. And in France, TF1 had an audience share of 63.1 percent for the final. In the U.K., meanwhile, more than 20 million tuned in to BBC and ITV for the game, with the bulk watching on the BBC.

In the host nation of South Africa, SABC1 reported 7.5 million viewers for a 64.2 percent share.