Filed under: 2014 World Cup, Uncategorized | Tags: 2014 World Cup, ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Bud Light, Chardonnay, Clippers' Sterling Banned, Conchita Wurst, Denver Broncos, Doritos, Ebola, Ferguson, Flappy Bird, Frozen, Giants, Google, ISIS, Kevin Miralles, LeBron James, Malaysia Airlines, NFL domestic violence, pate de fois gras canapes, Pope Francis, Robin Williams, Seattle Seahawks, Sochi Winter Olympics, Super Bowl, Tim Howard, Time Magazine, Tony Stewart, Ukraine
Google has released its 2014 list of most-searched subjects in America and abroad:
Global:
1. Robin Williams
2. World Cup
3. Ebola
4. Malaysia Airlines
5. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
6. Flappy Bird
7. Conchita Wurst
8. ISIS
9. Frozen
10. Sochi Winter Olympics
United States:
1. Robin Williams
2. World Cup
3. Ebola
4. Malaysia Airlines
5. Flappy Bird
6. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
7. ISIS
8. Ferguson
9. Frozen
10. Ukraine
[December 16]
Comment: The World Cup in Brazil generated record television ratings in America–a cumulative viewership of 391.65 million. Record activity on social media throughout the tournament, including 3-plus billion Facebook posts and 672-plus million tweets. And now the No. 2 spot among the most-Googled subjects in America for the year. Meanwhile, on the cover of Time magazine’s special issue, “The Year in Review,” along with photos of Pope Francis, Robin Williams, and those tending Ebola victims, was a shot of U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard and Belgium’s Kevin Miralles doing battle at the World Cup. Inside, the headline, “The Whole World is Watching,” above the subhead, “Move Over, Winter Olympics–Americans Join the Rest of the Planet in Making Soccer’s World Cup the Year’s Premier Sporting Event.” (Interesting that the Winter Olympics didn’t make Google’s U.S. Top 10.)
Some dismissed the inroads made by the sport here in 2014 with, “Sure, a lot of Americans paid attention to soccer, but it’s only every four years, during a World Cup.” Indeed, a lot paid attention last summer. But those numbers dwarfed those for 2010, and 2010 dwarfed those for 2006, and those for 2002, when the U.S. nearly made it to the semifinals.
In this country, as usual, the Super Bowl back in early February was our TV behemoth, with a biggest-ever 111.5 million viewers and a 46.4 rating. It impacted about one-third of America for one primetime evening, for at least those who were actually watching the Seattle Seahawks’ 43-8 blowout of the Denver Broncos, not those who were in the vicinity, zeroing in on the commercials between bites of Doritos with guacamole, handfuls of cheese doodles and chugs of Bud Light, or, at other Super Bowl parties, pate de fois gras canapés and sips of Chardonnay. But the 2014 World Cup was a party that saturated an entire month, captivating viewers over 64 matches, 90 minutes at a time.
So, how big a leap forward was this year’s World Cup in the eyes of those who help determine what you see and hear? Here’s what, in an Associate Press vote of 94 U.S. editors and news directors, were the top 10 sports stories of the year:
Associated Press:
1. NFL Domestic Violence
2. Clippers’ Sterling Banned
3. LeBron Goes Home
4. Firsts for Gay Athletes
5. Giants Win World Series
6. College Football Playoff Pays Off
7. Tony Stewart
8. World Cup
9. Seahawks Win Super Bowl
10. Sochi Olympics
The answer, obviously, is somewhat.
Soccerstoriesbook's Blog 