Viewership for Women’s Soccer Drops Abruptly

Cue the awful jokes about the honeymoon being over for women’s soccer. The USA's second game since the Women's World Cup averaged 274,000 on ESPN2, the lowest viewership of the year for three women's games on ESPN or ESPN2.

It is important to note, however, that a long weather delay in Chattanooga would have cut down the audience.

Sunday's USA-Costa Rica friendly averaged 315,000 viewers on Fox Sports 1. The viewership for both USA-Costa Rica games was lower than the viewing figures for the final three friendlies before the tournament, suggesting that there was no bump in viewing interest for the U.S. national team despite the record-setting viewership for its Women's World Cup title run.

Two other soccer games, both Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League matches, involving U.S. teams aired Wednesday on cable. D.C. United averaged 63,000 viewers on UDN for its 1-0 win at Arabe Unido. The Seattle Sounders averaged 62,000 viewers for their 2-1 comeback win over Olimpia on Fox Sports 2. The top-drawing soccer match of the day was Club America-Walter Ferretti on UDN (307,000 viewers).

Information on ratings can be found here.

2015 U.S. Women's Friendly English-Language Viewers
AVG. MATCH (DATE), NETWORK
998,000 USA-South Korea (May 30), ESPN
457,000 USA-Mexico (May 17), Fox Sports 1
319,000 USA-Ireland (May 10), Fox Sports 1
315,000 USA-Costa Rica (Aug. 16), Fox Sports 1
294,000 France-USA (Feb. 8), ESPN2
274,000 USA-Costa Rica (Aug. 19), ESPN2
257,000 USA-New Zealand (April 4), Fox Sports 1
163,000 USA-Switzerland (March 6), Fox Sports 1
154,000 USA-Norway (March 3), Fox Sports 1
138,000 USA-France (March 11), Fox Sports 1
121,000 England-USA (Feb. 13), Fox Sports 1