FOX Sports is making waves in the world of sports broadcasting, pulling record viewership figures from both the Euros and Copa America. The American network has successfully secured English-language broadcasting rights to these two major tournaments in the United States, providing easy access for American soccer fans.
The scheduling of these competitions has played a significant role in FOX's success. Euro matches typically start between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET, while Copa America matches kick off during evening hours in the States. This staggered timing allows for continuous coverage throughout the day.
Soaring viewership numbers
Despite European fixtures being played during workdays, FOX announced record viewership for this competition. The Euro 2024 matches of group stage averaged an impressive 1.04 million American viewers per game - a slight increase from the previous record of 1.02 million viewers set by the tournament back in 2012, but also a substantial jump of around 30% over most recent Euros held in 2021.
Furthermore, out of all group stage games broadcasted by FOX during Euro 2024, eighteen surpassed one million viewers across their networks - almost double compared to just ten games achieving similar numbers during Euro 2020.
One notable highlight was Georgia's upset victory over Portugal which attracted an impressive audience of approximately1.4 million American viewers - more than what was achieved by a high-profile match of Portugal and France at Euro 2020.
Continued success with knockout rounds
As we move into knockout rounds at Euro 2024, there are no signs that this trend will slow down anytime soon; indeed it seems to be picking up pace! For instance, when Portugal faced Slovenia in round-of-16 game on FOX network it drew an audience of about2.1 million fans, peaking at over three million during the penalty shootout.
Alongside Euro 2024, FOX is also experiencing high viewing numbers for Copa America 2024. Matches involving CONMEBOL and CONCACAF teams are averaging around 1.1 million viewers across FOX’s lineup - a staggering increase of 411% compared to the previous iteration of the competition.
The recent fixture between USMNT vs Uruguay was particularly popular, attracting an audience of approximately3.77 million fans - making it the most-watched non-World Cup soccer telecast in FS1 history.
Challenges ahead for FOX's Copa America coverage
Despite these impressive figures, there are potential challenges ahead for FOX's coverage of Copa America. The early exits of USMNT and Mexico from the tournament could lead to a decline in interest among American viewers as these two teams hold significant importance here in States.
FOX will now be relying on star players like Lionel Messi with Argentina and Brazil's team to maintain viewer interest moving forward. However, it remains to be seen whether this strategy will prevent a drop in average viewership numbers for Copa America.
While there may be some hurdles ahead, there is no denying that both Euros and Copa America have been a resounding success for Fox Sports so far when it comes to pulling record-breaking viewership figures.
