I don't get it... (World Cup Audience)

[Pangloss]

News reports are saying that as many as 32 billion people will watch the World Cup. Um... aren't there only 6.5 billion people in the whole world? This statistic was repeated on ABC News tonight and I thought the anchorperson had gone bonkers. But sure enough I did a quick Google and found this story:

 

http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/02/spt15.htm

 

SINGAPORE, June 1: More than 30 billion people around the world are expected to watch the World Cup with media operators in Asia eyeing record audiences for the greatest football show on earth.

 

Such is the massive interest in a sport that is played in virtually every country on the planet that FIFA forecasts 32 billion people will tune into the tournament at some time over its one month duration.

 

This doesn't take into account the millions more watching on streaming over the Internet or on mobile devices, where live goal alerts and match updates will keep fans abreast of the action wherever they are.

 

The TV ratings forecast is up from the 28.8 billion that watched the event — live matches, magazines and talks shows — joint hosted by Japan and South Korea four years ago.

 

While the boost is likely down to the tournament being in Europe, where football is akin to a religion, huge numbers of people will again be watching in Asia, which is home to some 60 percent of the world's population.

 

In China alone, state broadcaster CCTV estimates 10 billion people will accumulately watch the tournament, which explains why the emerging powerhouse is seen as the sport's top future growth market.

 

What the heck is going on here? Do I need to run out and buy four more televisions in order to meet my obligation as a human being?!

[swansont]

I think each game watched is being counted as one viewer.

[Pangloss]

Ohhhhhhhh.... I didn't realize there's more than one game.

 

But still, that's kind of a dumb way to state that statistic, isn't it? They made it sound like 32 billion different people were going to watch somehow....

[ecoli]

it's the most popular sport in the the Galaxy.

[deltanova]

Im amazed actualy, here in australia people dont usualy pay any attention whatsoever to soccer. but since we made it into the tournament, there is even shop windows advertising it. with fifa clothing being stocked by retailers, and the footy show (the NRL footy show) is even taking the show over there for kickoff. its mad, and all because we got into the comp.

[Cloud]

If its a typo e.g. 30 million - it's still wrong:D

 

There are easily over 100 million people worldwide expected to watch the world cup. (Consider Brazil which eat drink and sleep football - I think nearly everyone in Rio and Sao will be watching. That's already 30 million).

 

btw - Brazil and Italy in the final. Watch people.

[swansont]

Ohhhhhhhh.... I didn't realize there's more than one game.

 

But still' date=' that's kind of a dumb way to state that statistic, isn't it? They made it sound like 32 billion different people were going to watch somehow.... [/quote']

 

I assume it's the metric one wants to use for selling advertising on TV.

[GutZ]

It's the best sport on earth! One football fan counts for 5 regular people.

[sophster]

It's the best sport on earth! One football fan counts for 5 regular people.

 

No way. Cricket is the best sport on earth. One game can last 5 full days and still end in a draw!

[JohnB]

Cricket, Football, the yanks can't play either worth a damn.

 

Pity the Canadians let the cricketing side down though but I guess they don't play much cricket for much the same reasons that Aussies don't play much Ice Hockey.

[The Spith]

I'd assume they meant 3.2 billion. That sounds about to right to me - roughly half the world watching at least one game.

[swansont]

I'd assume they meant 3.2 billion. That sounds about to right to me - roughly half the world watching at least one game.

 

Except that the same order-of-magnitude measurement is made twice more in the quote. So it's not a simple typo, though it could still be a math mistake.

[Psycho]

Ohhhhhhhh.... I didn't realize there's more than one game.

...

 

*Shakes head in discust*

 

In is the cumulative number of people watch over the whole tournament, so each person can be counted more than once.

[Pangloss]

My wife and I are watching the Mexico-Iran game and really enjoying it. They're showing the games here in HDTV and the picture quality is awesome.

[Lars]

Say it out loud; not 3.2 billion but 3-2 billion (three to two billion)