FOX pulls record viewership from Euros and Copa America
FOX Sports is scoring some impressive viewership figures in both the Euros and Copa America. The American network previously secured the English-language broadcasting rights to the two tournaments here in the United States. As a result, American soccer fans have not necessarily had too hard of a time finding the matches on TV. This is, of course, outside of a few early Euro 2024 group-stage games being broadcast on Fubo.
Along with holding the American rights to the tournaments, FOX also benefits from the competitions happening in different time slots. Euro matches have regularly started between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET. Copa American matches, on the other hand, all kick off in the evenings here in the States.
Euros and Copa America viewership climb on FOX
Despite these European fixtures being played during the work days, FOX has announced record viewership in the competition. The network recently revealed that the Euro 2024 group stage averaged 1.04 million American viewers per game. This figure narrowly edges the tournament’s previous record of 1.02 million viewers from the 2012 competition. It is also a 30% increase over the most recent Euros from 2021.
FOX also reports that 18 of the 36 Euro 2024 group stage games surpassed one million viewers across their networks. This is a fairly substantial increase compared to the previous tournament. Just 10 Euro 2020 group games managed to grab over one million viewers in the States.
Georgia’s massive upset of Portugal in the final fixture of Group F also garnered an impressive 1.4 million American viewers. While not a huge fixture on paper, it gained more attention here Stateside than a Euro 2020 group matchup between Portugal and France. Miami, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles were the largest American markets for this particular game.
Viewership of Euro 2024 on FOX is also not showing any signs of slowing down. As the tournament moves on to the knockout rounds, the network reports that 2.1 million fans tuned into a round-of-16 game between Portugal and Slovenia. Viewership even peaked at just over three million during the penalty shootout. 1.6 million fans previously watched France top Belgium earlier in the day. Both figures are sizable increases relative to American viewership during Euro 2020.
Mexico, USMNT failures will likely hinder FOX’s Copa America viewership
Along with Euro 2024, FOX is also seeing high viewing numbers in Copa America 2024. Overall, the matches involving CONMEBOL and CONCACAF teams are averaging 1.1 million viewers across FOX’s lineup. This is a massive 411% increase in comparison to the previous iteration of the competition.
The involvement of the USMNT aids American interest in the tournament. The recent fixture between the Stars and Stripes and Uruguay garnered 3.77 million fans. The Americans ended up losing the game. Still, it is the most-watched non-World Cup soccer telecast in the history of FS1. Viewership eventually peaked at 4.86 million viewers in the later stages of the match.
Although FOX’s coverage of Copa America is setting new records, interest in the tournament may decline. The USMNT and Mexico have both disappointingly crashed out of the competition. These two teams are undoubtedly the two most important national sides here in the States.
FOX will be banking on Lionel Messi now grabbing the headlines with Argentina. Brazil also has a significant following in America as well. Nevertheless, look for FOX’s average Copa America viewership numbers start to drop moving forward.
PHOTOS: IMAGO