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TV ratings down for World Cup opener

TV ratings down for World Cup opener | iNFOnews.ca
Russia fans celebrate in Nikolskaya street after their team defeated Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the opening match of the 2018 soccer World Cup, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, June 14, 2018.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

The overnight rating from major markets of the World Cup opener was less than half of the overnight for the first game of the 2014 tournament, hurt by a much earlier kickoff and less glamorous teams.

Host Russia’s 5-0 rout of Saudi Arabia, which kicked off at 11 a.m. EDT Thursday, got a 1.6 average in metered markets, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was down from a 3.4 for Brazil’s 3-1 win over Croatia four years ago on ESPN, which started at 4 p.m. EDT. South Africa’s 1-1 tie against Mexico in 2010 for a 2.3 for a 10 a.m. EDT kickoff.

The overnight rating is the percentage of television households tuned to a broadcast among television households in the 56 major metered U.S. markets.

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Abbey Westbury

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