It’s still early days, but one of the most fascinating stories about Qatar 2022 is how well the Peacock World Cup viewership numbers are doing.
For a streaming service that shows games only in Spanish, I’d expect it to do pretty well. However, Tuesday’s World Cup coverage of Peacock blew the roof off. In short, it was Peacock’s biggest weekday since the streaming service launched in 2020.
Mexico-Poland audience numbers rise
Even more impressive, Mexico vs. Poland became the most broadcast World Cup match in US history, averaging 1.3 million average viewer minutes.
During the first three days of all Telemundo Deportes World Cup coverage, 29% of the audience is attributed to the broadcast.
Going back to the Mexico-Poland game for a second, the total audience delivery for the game through linear and digital Telemundo Deportes was 4.6 million.
According to Telemundo Deportes, Telemundo and Peacock viewers are committed to the long term because they support more teams in the tournament. Telemundo reports that, on average, each viewer supports 3.3 teams, 33% more than other viewers. And, three in four Spanish-speaking viewers plan to continue tuning in if their favorite team is eliminated, “creating a more loyal and engaged audience for brands to leverage throughout the Tournament.”
Why is the Peacock World Cup audience a hit?
What hasn’t been mentioned above yet is the fact that many English sports fans flock to Peacock. Why? Here are my five reasons why:
It costs only $4.99 per month. Many Premier League fans already own the Peacock. It’s an ideal choice for cord-cutters who don’t want cable or satellite. The first 12 World Cup games were free at Peacock. The FOX Sports app is buggy and requires authentication.
Another reason may be dissatisfaction among soccer fans over the lack of in-depth analysis of the World Cup on FOX Sports. It’s nothing like what ESPN gave us in the 2010 and 2014 World Cup tournaments, for example.
On top of that, FOX’s adulation of Qatar is too much for many viewers to swallow. Meanwhile, Telemundo Deportes is making good on its promise not to shy away from its editorial responsibilities to report the news both on and off the field.
Peacock offers Black Friday sale to sweeten the deal for football fans
Peacock may end up seeing bigger numbers as the tournament progresses. The reason is that Peacock just launched a Black Friday sale. You can get Peacock for $0.99 for 12 months. Offer ends Monday, November 28, 2022.
World Cup 2022 Guide
Here are some resources to help you make the most of the biggest event in soccer!
