How Team Spain Kicked Team Edward's Butt

Big ratings for World Cup final may have cut into weekend box office for Eclipse, other top movies

By Joal Ryan Jul 13, 2010 6:46 PMTags
E! Placeholder Image

Did the World Cup slay Eclipse? Which new summer series are bringing the heat? Which ones aren't?

The answers—and more questions—in the latest TV ratings quiz:

1. What's the World Cup got to do with the Twilight franchise? As noted yesterday, the weekend box office was notably smaller than estimated. Despicable Me was off by more than $3 million from projections; Eclipse, by more than $2 million. What happened? Sunday's World Cup final, that's what. "I think the World Cup may have played a pretty large factor actually," Exhibitor Relations box-office analyst Jeff Bock said, "as many families were watching it, much like the Super Bowl."

2. How big was the game? With 24.3 million overall viewers, per Nielsen, the Spain-Netherlands match was the biggest, most-watched soccer game in U.S. history.

3. Yes, but was the game bigger than LeBron James? Buzz-wise, arguably no, but numbers-wise, the answer is affirmative—the soccer match was even bigger than James' ESPN- and audience-enabled egofest, The Decision, which ruled cable with 9.9 million couldn't-help-themselves viewers.

4. What was the saddest thing about the James special? According to ESPN, it earned its highest ratings, by far, in Cleveland. Miami, the basketball town that James chose over Ohio's jewel, was only the third-biggest market for the show.

5. Name three hot freshman summer shows. If you said Hot in Cleveland, Pretty Little Liars and Rookie Blue, all rewarded with renewals, you nailed it. (Pretty Little Liars'  pickup was for the back end of season one; the other shows earned their passes to season two.)

6. Name three cold freshman summer shows. If you said, or can identify, The Good Guys, The Gates and Downfall, we're impressed.

7. Is Hannah Montana over before its over? No. Sunday's fourth- and farewell-season premiere was cable's most-watched comedy or drama series (5.7 million), per the latest Nielsen weekly rankings. Another cable standout: the penultimate Phil Harris episode of Deadliest Catch (series-best 5.3 million). Tonigh the show bids farewell to the late captain.

Latest News