Wimbledon TV Watching In US Drops Sharply

Written by: Staff on 5th July 2013

Wimbledon TV Watching In US Drops Sharply

epa03776624 View of the semi-final match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 05 July 2013. EPA/ADAM DAVY / POOL |

Wimbledon may be a massive hit around the world, but in the self-centric US, this edition of the biggest event in the sport appears to have become just another excuse to hit the remote and switch channels.

At least that seems to be the case made by viewing figures in the US, where home-grown sports always dominate. With no American making it into the third round for the first time in 101 years, interest in the Championships trailed off dramatically after the traumatic opening week, where the likes of household names Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova were dispatched.

Nielsen rating figures in the US show a paltry audience on sports channels ESPN and ESPN2 of less than 598,000 viewers in a nation of 320 million. That figure was even down on 2012 figures of just 640,000 watching. The numbers hit a brief spike as the early carnage unfolded on court, with ratings increasing 80 per cent among the prized demographic of men 18-34 during the opening week.

The weakling American viewership contrasts massively with the BBC’s numbers as the host broadcaster airs matches on up to two terrestrial channels as well as another digital supplementary one, covering everything from marquee matches to late-stage mixed doubles and legends.

During Andy Murray’s five-set quarter-final thriller against Fernando Verdasco, up to a fifth of the country’s population – 10 million people – were tuning in at one time or another during the match won by the Scot.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: American tennis news, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Wimbledon Championships