Women's soccer scores in Germany

World Cup final generates 51% share

By ERIK KIRSCHBAUM

BERLIN — Men's soccer has long reigned supreme on TV screens in Germany, as elsewhere in Europe. Now women's soccer is blowing away the competition as well.

More than 9 million viewers tuned into pubcaster ZDF on Sunday afternoon to watch the World Cup final in Shanghai between Germany and Brazil, grabbing a 50.5% market share.

The audience jumped to 11.5 million toward the end of the match, which Germany won 2-0.

Ratings for almost every top international men's soccer match has surged higher in the last year in the wake of the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany that further broadened the already hugely popular national game.

Women's soccer, which was once seen as the poor relation, has come into its own in recent years.

"The impressive numbers are a reflection of the rising acceptance viewers now have for women's soccer," said ZDF sports programming topper Dieter Gruschwitz.

Another German pubcaster, ARD, was the primetime winner on Sunday with part one of a two-part drama, starring Veronica Ferres ("Die Frau vom Checkpoint Charlie"), which had 8.35 million viewers (24% market share).

Pic based on true story of a woman jailed for trying to escape communist East Germany and separated from her daughters for six years after being deported to West Germany, tackled similar theme as Germany's Oscar winning "The Lives of Others."

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