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Through the first Sunday (eight matches) of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the ESPN TV networks are showing double-digit growth across the board compared to the 2006 FIFA World Cup (full details here).  Additionally, ESPN, through its new ESPN XP research initiative, has measured significant lift to overall World Cup consumption by fans accessing the event on platforms other than television (Internet, Mobile, Radio and Magazine). In fact, multiplatform users averaged more time consuming World Cup content each day than those who only watched on television. Those who consumed the World Cup on TV and other platforms averaged more than five hours of World Cup usage per day.

Other Cross-Platform highlights:

• Through the first three days of the World Cup, 65% of ESPN/ABC’s audience was exposed to the World Cup only on television, 24% were exposed on TV and some other platform, and 11% consumed the World Cup solely on some platform other than television, an incremental audience lift of 13%.
• Of all those who consumed any ESPN/ABC World Cup content, 89% used TV, 31% used the Internet, 8% used Radio, 6% used mobile.   
• On the average day, multiplatform consumers accounted for 27% of the users, and 52% of the usage of World Cup content. 
• Through Sunday night, TV viewers spent 4.5 billion minutes watching World Cup coverage on ESPN/ABC.  Digital consumers spent 354 million minutes with ESPN Internet/Mobile content, adding 8% to total usage. 

Sources: KN Total Touch, Omniture

Note: * Digital Platforms minutes from World Cup ESPN.com content on PCs, mobile devices and ESPN3.com, does not include ESPN Mobile TV

In fact, the more platforms used, the more time spent with ESPN content.

About ESPN XP

ESPN XP is a research initiative unprecedented in scope, to study consumer behavior around major sporting events beginning with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The research collective, which includes 15 top-tier companies as well as the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative, will attempt to measure media usage and advertiser effects across all media platforms – TV, radio, Internet, mobile and print.  ESPN will be releasing ESPN XP findings from the 2010 FIFA World Cup throughout the month long tournament (June 11-July 11).  Comprehensive ESPN XP World Cup findings will be shared after the conclusion of the event.