Gold Cup final destroys Stanley Cup in ratings

My apologies. I misread your post.

 

A few things...
- There are, on average, at least 2-Spanish language basic cable channels in every single market. Let's not argue that this was the only thing on so on a Sunday afternoon every Spanish speaking individual said, "Oh, I can only watch soccer. I guess I'll leave it on since they are talking Spanish."

- On a similar note, soccer is normally shown at that time on Univision. It is either MLS or MFL. Since those numbers don't rate as high as this one, you really can't make the argument that the Spanish audience had no where else to go.

- You also need to factor in the coverage. The Gold Cup isn't exactly a widely reported event. How many newspapers even reported on it as opposed to the NHL? I know for a fact that the Philly papers didn't even list the game in the sports section to let you know the channel and time the game would be aired. I can guarantee they had those listings for the NHL Finals.

- Now lets go to the channels. If you were watching the NHL at all during the season, you would have known the Finals were on NBC. NBC pushed hard with major advertisements during prime time television shows. Compare that to Univision, which did advertise, but isn't seen by nearly as many people as NBC. Yes, Poindexter pointed out how they are in the top ten of cable shows, but if you are advertising during Heroes as opposed to one of those Spanish game shows with the buxom beauties, you should be hitting higher numbers.

- The numbers still don't factor in the entire audience. FSC doesn't keep ratings and they were the only channel broadcasting the English feed. I watched the game at a bar on FSC with about 10 other people. During the showing of the game several people in the restaurant area requested the game be put on other televisions (replacing the baseball game to the displeasure of two individuals). No, I'm not going to argue that the approximate 30-people should be counted. I'm only saying that FSC, the preferrable choice for many bars that were showing the game, didn't get counted.


I don't think anyone is going to argue that soccer is on par with the NBA or even in the mainstream. These numbers just demonstrate that there is an audience; an audience larger than many thought.

 

Excellent point Pastor. While the mainstream sports fan knows when the World Cup is going on, I bet few know what the hell the Gold Cup is.

And any sports fan can tell you what the Stanley Cup Finals is.

I also don't think the AP sent much Gold Cup coverage until the knockout phase.

 

Aside from the AP, who else sent coverage for the Gold Cup?
Aside from the AP, who else sent coverage for the NHL Finals?

 

Comparing the Gold Cup to the Olympics isn't exactly legitimate either. One's the pinnacle of international sporting achievement; the other is the Gold Cup.

 

Just to drive home the point about the power of spanish-language TV: Of the top 10 rated tv shows in prime time last week in Los Angeles, ALL TEN were spanish-launguage shows (including a Copa de Oro game, not the final-which wasn't in prime time). Not one english speaking show was in the top 10 in LA.

I am not sure what the point of this thread was, but the people watching that Gold Cup game last Sunday did not tune in to see Landycakes Donovan or DeMarcus Beasley.

 

Poindexter, the point of this thread is to point out the actual popularity of the sport of soccer in this country. Regardless of the language that the viewers speak, the argument that "nobody cares about soccer" is rather uninformed.

While I have no doubt that the huge number has more to do with Mexicans tuning in than the US, having the US in that game helped. Consider it the difference between Yankees v. Royals on Sunday Night Baseball and Yankees v. Red Sox.

As to having all shows in the top 10 in LA, well, basic television completely sucks right now. It is June, school is almost out and people are going on vacation. That isn't much of a surprise.

 

I've read every discussion that's ever been on this board about soccer popularity. It invariably revolves around soccer moms and trophies for everyone and the pussification of America. I have rarely if ever read discussion about the immigration factor.... Correct me if I am wrong.


And the fact that all Top 10 tv shows in Los Angeles were spanish speaking *doesn't* surprise you? I must be "out of it"...

 

Poindexter, I have written about the ratings numbers generated by the MFL on Spanish channels multiple times. I have always contended that the sport is popular when the arguments have circulated around MLS and their ratings as the counter. I recall it being in a conversation around the World Cup ratings. So, we are talking nearly a year ago.

As to the ratings... Nope, not too surprising. LA is an interesting market. They also have more Spanish channels than most areas. With basic television choices as awful as they are, wealthier individuals going out of town on vacation, and some really good international soccer games to watch, it isn't too surprising to me.