The final game of the FIFA World Cup tournament that saw Italy defeat France on July 9 brought in an average of 2.8 million viewers for CTV – peaking at four million for the match-ending penalty kick shootout – capping a record ratings month for soccer in Canada.

The championship match rating was up 98% from the 2002 final on CBC, though that World Cup, live from South Korea, suffered a major time-zone delay. The ’06 match in Germany was also up 38% from the 1998 final on TSN emanating from France.

Combined, TSN and Rogers Sportsnet brought in an overall average of 508,000 viewers for their live tourney matches, more than 60% above the previous high for live games set by TSN’s World Cup coverage in 1998.

Sportsnet’s 32 live games peaked at 1.2 million for the July 4 semi-final between Italy and Germany. CTV’s sibling TSN aired 31 live games and hit 1.6 million viewers for the other semi-final match, Portugal vs. France, also on July 4.

TSN president Phil King feels there are several reasons for the World Cup success this year, including the combined promotional resources of the two sporty specialties, the big-event feel of the series, and the increased Canadian coverage of various international soccer leagues between Cups.

‘We all know soccer is the number one sport in many countries around the world,’ says King. ‘People from those countries are still coming to Canada and bringing that love and passion for the game, and that cannot be underestimated.’

TSN is on a roll right now, recently securing the rights to broadcast the matches of the Canadian Curling Association – including the Tim Horton’s Brier, traditionally found on CBC – beginning in 2008.

It also recently extended its broadcast deal with the IIHF World Hockey Championship through to 2011 (the World Jr. final drew an audience of 3.3 million in January). With NHL rights up for grabs beginning with the 2008/09 season, King says TSN will keep pursuing the big-ticket sports items.

‘Any sporting event or programming that has interest for Canadians, we will be at the table and very aggressive trying to get it for TSN and CTV,’ says King. ‘We want to be all things sports, and we’re just about there.’

CBC could have used the World Cup this summer, as some of its new series are struggling. The stop-motion What It’s Like Being Alone from wunderkind creator Brad Peyton garnered a way low 142,000 for its June 26 premiere and a season-to-date average of 118,000 – airing Mondays at 9:30 p.m. – as of July 17. Comedy Northern Town will premiere as its lead-in on July 24, replacing Getting Along Famously.

The Ceeb’s twice-a-week half-hour web-drama 11 Cameras premiered to an even worse 93,000 on June 28, and averaged 103,000 in its first five episodes, airing Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the pubcaster’s daytime soap North/South averaged 28,000 viewers for its 6 x 30 run, up from its 19,000 audience for the premiere on July 4. CBC ran the series Tuesdays to Thursdays from July 4-13 at 2:30 p.m. Vancouver-set drama 49th & Main took over the slot on July 18 and will run until July 27.

CBC was slated to premiere its simulcast of U.S. talent competition The One, hosted by The Hour’s George Stroumboulopoulos, on July 18, hoping foreign fare will serve it better. The One is the series responsible for The National getting bumped to 11 p.m. on Tuesdays in Ontario and Quebec. The hour-long results show on ABC, airing at 10 p.m., also pushes The National to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays *