<p>"I believe it should be 3 billion viewers, not 30 billion. According to US Census Bureau's estimate, the Earth's population has reached 6.5 billion only recently."</p>
<p>Really.. I doubt 3 billion people in the world even have access to television, never mind that many people having enough interest in soccer to watch the games. 30 million sounds realistic.</p>
<p>You probably haven't seen a crowd standing in front of a TV store for a couple of hours just for watching a soccer game shown on a TV in the store's window display, or a whole village watching in front of a big TV installed in an open field. I know for sure because I experienced them first hand. </p>
<p>Three billion sounds reasonable considering how popular soccer is in most parts of the world. And many of those soccer fans are really crazy. They often fight each other just because of some stupid game.</p>
<p>Allez les Bleus...Ribery is mad hot and plays his heart out!</p>
<p>Vive la France!</p>
<p>I was actually in France when they won the quarterfinals and finals...it was CRAZY! People were honking and freaking out all over Paris and Aix-en-Provence, the cities I was staying in. They get insanely into soccer there, it was really cool to see firsthand.</p>
<p>That's awesome. I'm off to a world cup party, so good luck to both teams and I hope that it's a great game!</p>
<p>allez les bleus!!!</p>
<p>7 minutes ... omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Julie Foudy just mentioned on ABC that "over one billion viewers" will be watching this World Cup Final.</p>
<p>I don't think anyone told Zidane the Italians are favored. I don't think anyone told him the Brazillians were favored in '98. He doesn't care, he just wants to head in 2 more. So you do that Zidane, then cram the world cup into your Fiat on the ride to Paris. VIVA LA FRANCE!</p>
<p>oh zizou, why?</p>
<p>LOL. I don't even care that Italy won, seeing Zidane headbutt that guy was the funniest thing I have ever seen in a world cup.</p>
<p>Zidane sucked. Very disappointing.</p>
<p>Viva Italiano!</p>
<p>Yeah ***? Headbutt?</p>
<p>i can't imagine what was said for zizou to do that...</p>
<p>i hate italy.</p>
<p>and i'm so disappointed in zizou</p>
<p>3) What the hell is wrong with soccer?</p>
<p>Penalty kicks?? Penalty kicks make, an otherwise glorious game, a joke....they need to change things so that goals are easier to score (not for the sake of increased scoring) but so that matches don't end in such a travesty so often. </p>
<p>Imagine basketball having to end in who can make the most open 3 point shots, or baseball ending in who's able to hit more home runs off a tee. I don't know how anybody in their right mind can consider penalty kicks a legitmate way to end a match.</p>
<p>zidane took it toooo far</p>
<p>nice job italy</p>
<p>
[quote]
You probably haven't seen a crowd standing in front of a TV store for a couple of hours just for watching a soccer game shown on a TV in the store's window display, or a whole village watching in front of a big TV installed in an open field. I know for sure because I experienced them first hand.</p>
<p>Three billion sounds reasonable considering how popular soccer is in most parts of the world. And many of those soccer fans are really crazy. They often fight each other just because of some stupid game.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, it makes perfect sense that 1/2 of the world was watching one soccer game.....</p>
<p>Actually, it IS approximately 30 billion. Except that is a cumulative count. Divide 30 billion by the matches played in the WC2006, and there is the average number of viewers per game.. aka, nowhere near 3 billion.</p>
<p>Interesting how the media always try to exaggerate things: "30 billion viewing" does not necessarily mean "30 billion viewers". And we know in this case they are not the same.</p>
<p>Anyway, I'm glad that we eventually figure out that it's not 30 billion or 3 billion viewers, but not 30 million either.</p>
<p>Forza Italia. Grosso, grosso, grosso! gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!!!!!!!</p>