The incorporation of the world champion Lionel Messi to American football in 2023 dIt sparked the Hispanic audience and is transforming the sports culture in the countryaccording to a report released by the consulting firm Nielsen.
The study Fanatics: The Nielsen Playbook on Hispanic Audiences, Sports and Media Engagementdetails, among other key aspects, that the final of the Copa America 2024 attracted more than 12 million viewers in the US, of which 53% were Hispanic, making it the most watched in the country’s history.
Also the final of the UEFA Champions League The match between Real Madrid and Dortmund on June 1, with the former winning, set a record with 9.5 million viewers, 40% of whom were Latino, according to an analysis by Inteligencia Diversa.
Hispanic audiences are making a strong impact on sports culture in the United States, and the Messi effect is no stranger to this phenomenon.
Messi’s arrival to the Miami team and the 300% increase in US audience during his debut match marked “a pivotal moment in the evolution of American sports” and “redefined mainstream American sports culture”according to the report.
Messi’s presence is transcending the boundaries of football as a “niche sport” followed primarily by Hispanic fans, to the point where it now attracts a broader audience that includes young people and non-Hispanic spectators, he added.
Messi’s first game also boosted a 270% increase in viewership on Univision and TUDN channels and a 3% increase in total minutes of television watched on a Saturday without a live soccer match.
According to Nielsen audience data, the percentage of Hispanic viewers in the last three tournaments of the America’s Cup has gone from 73% to 53%, which does not mean that the number of Hispanics watching it has decreased, but that this tournament “has gained popularity among non-Hispanic viewers,” driven by “the enthusiasm of Hispanic fans.”
And the game in which the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics after defeating Brazil drew a record nine million viewers in the United States.
A ratings success that Nielsen attributes, in part, “to the enthusiasm of a growing Hispanic fan base.”
But the growing appetite for soccer didn’t stop there. Historic Hispanic viewership records for the Copa America final and the UEFA Champions League are accompanied by a 354% increase in Latino viewership for the NCCA Women’s Basketball Championship between 2021 and 2024.
Regarding the weight of the Hispanic population in the demographics and economy of this country, the report points out that this community has exceeded 65 million (19% of the population), was responsible for 71% of the growth of the US population between 2022 and 2023 and its purchasing power reached $3.4 trillion dollars in 2023.
Total U.S. audiences for sporting events traditionally rooted in Hispanic culture are growing: Liga MX Clausura finals increased 74% between 2016 and 2023, and 9% between 2021 and 2023.
According to Nielsen, for sports fans, fanaticism runs much deeper than the end result.
“Within minority groups, Sports can also provide a natural way to immerse oneself in local culture, strengthen communities and encourage better media representation. “both for the athletes who play and the fans who support them.”
*With information from EFE.
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