The preliminary round of the DFB selection pushed the German TV ratings.
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf Argentina’s victory over France in the final of the soccer World Cup in Qatar was watched by 13.9 million viewers on Sunday afternoon on ARD. The first thus achieved a market share of 53.6 percent. The numbers may sound good, but they are historically bad.
For example, 21.3 million people tuned in to the 2018 World Cup in Russia (market share: 76.1 percent). At the tournament final in 2014, in which Germany became world champion, there were even 34.7 million viewers – a market share of 86.3 percent.
The final match fits the picture: The tournament in Qatar met with little interest in this country. At the 2018 World Cup there were 20 broadcasts with more than ten million TV viewers, this year there were only four.
World Cup 2022 in Qatar: Also significantly fewer TV viewers in the preliminary rounds
Media researchers have never experienced such a decline in a major sporting event. ZDF speaks of 30 to 40 percent fewer viewers than in comparable tournaments. “That’s a mixed record for everyone involved,” said director Norbert Himmler. ARD sports coordinator Axel Balkausky added that the World Cup was “probably the most difficult sporting event that we have broadcast live to date”.
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The ARD had already noticed in the preliminary round games that instead of nine million viewers as at the World Cup in Russia, this time only five million viewers tuned in on average. Although viewer interest in the knockout games increased, Balkausky explained that it was not able to build on the successes of the past World Cups.
ARD and ZDF broadcast most of the 64 World Cup games in Qatar live. They are said to have paid more than 214 million euros for the broadcasting rights.
World Cup 2022: controversial host country Qatar
ZDF director Himmler explained the low level of viewer interest as follows: “I think the time of year plays a role. It also has to do with the venue and the sporting performance of the German team.” The DFB team had already been eliminated in the preliminary round.
The starting position for the TV stations did not seem so bad at first: Many restaurateurs and almost all large German cities had decided against broadcasting the World Cup on big screens. In addition, people usually spend more time watching television during the darker months of the year.
Observers explain the fact that the quotas are so meager, above all with the calls for a boycott in view of the host country Qatar: The emirate was criticized in Germany in particular because human rights are violated there and there have been fatal accidents on the World Cup construction sites.
It was also the first tournament that had to take place in winter due to the heat in Qatar. The early kick-off times in some cases and the general reluctance to consume in the wake of inflation have apparently done the rest.
The decline in traditional TV ratings cannot be explained by an increased use of online paid offers. Deutsche Telekom broadcast all World Cup games with its Magenta TV service. According to the company, the four million customers have regularly reached seven-digit usage figures and peaked at 1.5 million people.
“Taking into account the difficult circumstances surrounding this World Cup and the early exit of the German national team, we rate the course as positive for us overall,” said Arnim Butzen, head of TV at Telekom. After the European Championship last year, the Dax group was still “very satisfied” after its transfer.
>> Read more: Debacle in Qatar: German economy is struggling with the World Cup – not only because of the early exit
In addition to the TV broadcasters, other sectors that usually benefit from a World Cup are also struggling with the tournament. The trade has not made any additional business, and many restaurateurs and breweries have not felt any impetus. Sporting goods manufacturer Adidas alone, which equips world champion Argentina, expects a sales increase of 30 percent. However, Adidas has mainly sold balls and jerseys in countries outside of Europe.
Hoping for the upcoming tournaments
The assumption that there is a negative Qatar effect is strengthened by the fact that interest in football has not decreased overall. An average of 17.95 million people watched the final of the European Women’s Championship this summer – a market share of 64.5 percent.
The public broadcasters are expecting greater interest in future major tournaments: “I assume that we will feel the great enthusiasm again in another season and in other regions,” said ZDF director Himmler.
The venues for the next tournaments are unproblematic. The upcoming European Championship 2024 will take place in Germany, two years later the USA, Canada and Mexico will host the World Cup.
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