Asian Cup 2015: over 800 million people expected to tune in to 2015 tournament
A RECORD 800 million people are expected to tune in to the Asian Cup in Australia, smashing the mark set at the 2011 tournament in Qatar.
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THE Socceroos will steal the local limelight on Friday, but on Saturday 60 million eyes will be fixed on Australia when the rest of Asia kicks off their tournament.
Over 550,000 fans will attend the 32 games over three weeks, which will break the Asian Cup record, but it’s the overseas attention that highlights the enormity of the event.
Over 700 million viewers are expected for the event - smashing the 2011 figure of 484 million - but it will push 900 million if Japan reach the final, Iran go deep and/or China make the knockout phase.
Asian Cup chief executive Michael Brown said the tournament will exceed global TV figures for events, such as the Australian Open tennis and Melbourne Grand Prix.
“The Asian Cup will be the most watched Australian event this year, throughout the critically important Asian region,’’ Brown said.
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“We also expect it will be one of the most watched Australian events in the world this year, with a predicted audience of 800 million.
“This is the best chance Australia has had to showcase itself to our closest neighbours.”
China’s opener against Saudi Arabia night will crack 21 million, while almost 30 million will watch South Korea’s opener against Oman in Canberra this afternoon.
South Korea hasn’t won the Asian Cup since 1960, but their Brazil 2014 debacle has heightened expectations.
Former Manchester United and South Korea star Park Ji-sung said his nation is desperate to win the event.
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“Before we thought it wasn’t as important as World Cup,’’ Park said.
“After the 2002 World Cup many players went to Europe to play and they saw how important the European Cup was and how important the Asian Cup could be for us.’’
Socceroos defender Alex Wilkinson said interest will be huge in South Korea, where he just won a title with Jeonbuk Motors, after they were lambasted post-Brazil.
“It will be very big. They copped a lot of criticism after the World Cup and the Korean public expect them to do well, they’ll be out to prove a point,’’ Wilkinson said.
“Maybe the Australian public don’t realise how big the Asian Cup is, football in Asia’s huge, it will be scary to think about the audience that these games will go out to.’’
The Middle East is football mad and solid TV ratings will be coupled with string social media activity.
While football is growing in non Asian Cup nations India and Thailand, Indonesia is a key player despite not qualifying.
Australia’s neighbour is soccer mad, with every game broadcast live into Indonesia, while they are the third highest users of the Asian Football Confederation’s YouTube channel.
The cat’s out of the bag in Japan, but China is the emerging giant competing in 2015.
While highlighting Shanghai midfielder Cai Huikang, 25, as a player to watch and with potential to play in Europe, China legend Fan Zhiyi said the country wouldn’t fulfil its potential until players got out of their comfort zone.
He implored Chinese players to head to Europe as Zhiyi did in the 1990s when he played with Craig Moore and Nick Rizzo at Crystal Palace and later moved to Dundee United and Cardiff City.
“The most crucial factor is how Chinese and Asian players integrate,’’ Zhiyi said.
“If Australian, Korean, Japanese players can do it, why can’t Chinese players?
“Iran used to have (Khodadad) Azizi, Japan had (Hidetoshi) Nakata, Australia has (Tim) Cahill
“They’re the poster boys for the young generation, but in comparison to Europe, the influence is not as great, where the youth aspire to be the next big star.’’
HOW ASIA VIEWS AUSTRALIA’S TOURNAMENT
TV RATINGS
THE TOP 10 GROUP GAMES
Game Date Host City Estimate Global TV audience
1 Iraq v Japan Jan 16 Brisbane 42,340,000
2 Japan v Palestine Jan 12 Newcastle 41,890,000
3 Japan v Jordan Jan 20 Melbourne 41,890,000
4 Australia v South Korea Brisbane Jan 17 27,900,000
5 Iran v Bahrain Tomorrow Canberra 25,750,000
6 Qatar v Iran Jan 15 Sydney 25,700,000
7 Iran v UAE Jan 19 Sydney 25,400,000
8 South Korea v Oman Tonight 24,940,000
9 Saudi Arabia v China Tonight Brisbane 21,940,000
10 China v North Korea Jan 18 Melbourne 20,740,000
AUSTRALIA’S GAMES
Opponent Date Host City Estimated viewers
Kuwait Last night Melbourne 13,400,000
Oman Jan 13 Sydney 13,100,000
Korea Jan 17 Brisbane 27,900,000
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