Telemundo Records Top Nielsen Score With Mexican Soccer Match

Mexico lost, but Telemundo won with its coverage of the national team’s 2010 World Cup qualifier Wednesday night.

Telemundo’s coverage of the team’s 1-0 loss to Hondura on Nov. 19 averaged 3.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data. It was the largest for Telemundo since the Spanish-language broadcaster entered the Nielsen Television Index measurement in February 2006, according to officials.

Included in that total were 2.1 million adults 18 to 49, the network’s most ever with the advertiser-coveted demo. The game also delivered 1.2 million adults 18 to 34, 1.4 million men 18 to 49 and 799,000 guys 18 to 34.

Telemundo executives said the performance of Rumbo Al Mundial: Mexico vs. Honduras made it the top broadcast network, irrespective of language, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Nov. 19 among men 18 to 34 and ranked third among men 18 to 49.

Despite their loss, the Tricolors advanced along with Honduras to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying. Honduras topped Group 2 with 12 points, followed by El Tri’s 10.