FIFA World Cup 2023: Matildas win over France sets TV ratings records, beating Ash Barty Australian Open triumph
The Matildas’ heart-stopping penalty shootout win has smashed TV ratings and streaming records – blowing Ash Barty’s drought-breaking Australian Open win out of the water.
World Cup
Don't miss out on the headlines from World Cup. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Matildas continue to break records on and off the field with their quarter-final win over France the most watched sports event in Australia in a decade and the country’s biggest streaming event ever.
Preliminary figures reveal the telecast reached more than 6.2 million people on Seven and 7plus, with an estimated average audience during the game of 4.17 million.
The match’s adjusted average audience of 4.17 million included a national broadcast audience of 3.69 million viewers on Seven (2.62 million in the capital cities) plus 472,000 viewers on 7plus making it the No. 1 television program of the year.
On top of that another 472,000 people streamed the game on 7plus – the biggest streaming event ever seen in Australia.
The victory trounced audiences for the Matildas’ win over Denmark last week which drew 3.563 million viewers nationally and even defeated Ash Barty’s momentous Australian Open victory in 2022 which was watched by 4.096 million viewers.
The game was also available on Optus Sport. And while they did not reveal actual figures they did confirm Australia’s win over France was the third most streamed game in Optus’s seve\n year history- behind two 2020 Euro games which were exclusive to Optus Sport.
Clive Dickens, the Vice President, Television, Content and Product Development of Optus, said it was a fantastic result.
“Last time the game made the top 20 (most watched football games on Optus), now we have three in the top five games ever and two of those were Australia games,” Dickens said.
“In the last week we were able to reach an agreement with most of the major sporting venues in Australia from the MCG to the SCG and Rod Laver Arena, but to top that we had 783 licensed venues across the country that have been showing streams in pubs and clubs.
“There is also dozens and dozens of council run live sites and outdoor fan festivals that have public viewing sites.
“Whatever the actual figures are it is in addition to the unmeasured live audience across stadiums, parks and clubs which are not in the rating system.”
Collectively, after three weeks of competition Seven’s broadcast of the tournament has reached 11.9 million viewers and another 2.3 million on 7plus.
Seven’s Network Head of Sport, Lewis Martin, said the Matildas had done us proud.
SEMI FINALS FOR AUSTRALIA!
— 7Sport (@7Sport) August 12, 2023
It takes TEN rounds in the penalty shootout, but Cortnee Vine is ice cold to win it!#FIFAWWCpic.twitter.com/uI143Tssa4
“The nation gathered around the screens of Seven to cheer on our latest sporting heroes, in an amazing, shared experience that only Seven can deliver,” he said.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has brought Australia together in a way we haven’t seen for years. We can’t wait for Wednesday. Go Matildas.”
The women’s victory in Brisbane has been described by many involved in sports deals as a steal for Seven – they partnered with Optus to sub-license the rights to 15 World Cup matches for a bargain, just over $4 million The Australian understands.
Veteran media analyst Steve Allen said the resounding success of the Matildas and huge interest in the tournament cemented that “Seven have landed the deal of the century”.
“It’s absolutely unrepeatable,” he said.
“Not only have they got an extra hour out of it with the penalty shootout, now they’ve got an Ashes semi-final against England.
“It’s absolutely brilliant for them.”
Seven West Media’s chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette helped strike the deal with Optus to broadcast 15 FIFA World Cup matches on free-to-air after lengthy negotiations with the telco’s chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosamarin, alongside Jon Marquard, who heads up media and digital consultancy Janez Media.
BUZZ: SHOCK PHOTOS CAPTURE MATILDAS’ STUNNING RISE
What a difference a decade makes for Australia’s favourite sporting team, the Matildas.
Back in 2014 the Aussie girls hosted Brazil in Brisbane for two matches.
There was little or no interest.
The first game attracted a crowd of only 2583 at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (previously called QEII Stadium). Then it got even worse.
Due to a lack of demand for tickets, Football Federation Australia played the return game behind closed doors because it would have been too costly to open the stadium. It was empty — 50,000 vacant seats — and zero atmosphere.
Brisbane’s The Courier-Mail newspaper ran just a six-paragraph match report.
Now it’s six pages.
Seven players from that squad remain — Clare Polkinghorne, Steph Catley, Emily van Egmond, Alanna Kennedy, Hayley Raso, Mackenzie Arnold and Katrina Gorry.
Fast forward to this FIFA Women’s World Cup and the turnaround has been astonishing.
Remarkably, the Aussie girls have gone from empty stadiums to become the hottest ticket in Australian sport.
Luke Bould was the marketing and commercial boss at Football Australia back in 2014.
“The Matildas had won the 2010 Asian Cup, were runners up in the 2014 Asian Cup and were on their way to the 2015 World Cup, but were still largely playing in front of friends and family,” he recalls.
“It was too expensive to open stadiums with so few attending.”
Instead of giving up, FA boss David Gallop lobbied for more funding. If ever this side was to become a force on the world stage the game needed to invest in them.
“We were a sport that was always short of funds and had a men’s team wanting more for its own World Cup and Asian Cup success, however it was clearly the right decision to back the Matildas,” Bould said.
“It was this period when FA decided that if the Matildas were ever going to build to what women’s football should be, the sport had to take a longer-term view and invest in the team.
“The board and management of FA believed that not only was growing the Matildas program an opportunity, it was the right thing to do. Mind you the success of the team on the pitch was clearly the most important factor.”
More Coverage
Originally published as FIFA World Cup 2023: Matildas win over France sets TV ratings records, beating Ash Barty Australian Open triumph
Join the conversation
‘I’ve given everything’: Much loved Matilda hangs up the boots
The Matildas’ most capped player has revealed she has called time on her glittering national career that has spanned almost half her life, but she will get one last chance to say goodbye to her home fans.
Read more
How Kerr will help decide next Matildas coach
The Matildas are set for an epic homecoming - and it’s still unknown if they’ll have a new coach, or star captain Sam Kerr, back by then. But how much of a say will Kerr have on the former?
Read more