OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Amateur Softball Association has announced that the World Cup of Softball presented by Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, which aired on ESPN and ESPN2, averaged a 0.9 rating on ESPN2 and a 0.8 rating on ESPN over the course of the six-game telecast schedule from July 13-17. 

The telecast on Sunday, July 16 featuring Team USA vs. Japan posted a 1.1, marking the highest rated USA Softball game ever on ESPN. In all, the six-game live telecast package was seen in more than 4,500,000 households across America. 

The final worldwide ratings will be released as that information becomes available from World Cup partners ESPN International and Eurosport. The championship game of the tournament aired live in over 200 countries. 

In all, the second annual event was up 60-percent on ESPN and 50-percent on ESPN2 compared to the five-game schedule in 2005. 

“The World Cup of Softball has firmly entrenched itself as a cornerstone of the summer sports calendar and we are already looking forward to the event in 2007,” remarked Ron Radigonda, Executive Director of the Amateur Softball Association. “The partnership we have created with ESPN and Winnercomm Sports (the ASA exclusive sales, production and interactive agency) is going to guarantee fast pitch softball’s position on live television for years to come.” 

“Needless to say, we are thrilled but not surprised with the ratings generated by the World Cup of Softball presented by Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and we look forward to the future,” said Laura Sandillo, ESPN’s Strategic Program Planner. “Softball has always been a ratings winner and this sport continues its trend upward.” 

The III World Cup of Softball will take place in Oklahoma City July 12-16, 2007, at Hall of Fame Complex and will once again feature some of the top international fast pitch teams throughout the world on ESPN.