The World Cup is one of the two global sporting events which make the largest contribution to the size of the global advertising market (the other being the Summer Olympics). Many advertisers and sponsors invest millions of dollars in the tournament because of the opportunity it affords to reach young men. Many young men become heavy TV viewers for the duration of the World Cup, having been light TV viewers at other times of the year.
While the data from Initiative’s most recent ViewerTrack shows that the 2006 World Cup has indeed been extremely popular among men aged 16-34, TV coverage been even more popular for men aged over 35. On average, 6 per cent of all men aged 16-34 have watched each match in-home on TV so far. This rises to an average of 9 per cent of men over 35. This means that men aged over 35 are 46 per cent more likely to watch an average World Cup match in their homes on TV than men aged 16-34.
However, men aged over 35 tend to be heavier TV viewers than younger men and so are easier for TV advertisers to reach. With opportunities to reach young men more rare, the World Cup is still an incredibly attractive proposition for connecting with the younger male audience.
Out of the 43 countries for which demographic data is currently available, in six countries men aged 16-34 are more likely to watch than men over 35. These six markets are Australia, Japan, USA, India, Peru and Malaysia. In relatively new soccer markets like Australia and USA, young men tend to be the trendsetters in developing a taste for soccer. With less heritage in the game, older generations in these countries are less likely to have an interest in following soccer at the World Cup.
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