The entire month during the World Cup is a holiday

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dipped in 2002 when games played in Asia were aired live in the middle of the night but the numbers have been generally on the rise over the last two decades. Little coincidence that the most recent increase, which was in spite of live games often airing in the morning or middle of the day, coincides with soccer’s recent surge in domestic popularity. This year’s tournament should continue that climb, even if just from matches being played in the evening when it’s easier for American soccer fans to tune in. That continued increase in viewership helps explain just why Fox and Telemundo are willing to spend so much on domestic broadcast rights. Just consider that Fox’s $425 million investment for two World Cups nearly matches the $500 million it spends each year on a season’s worth of MLB broadcast rights. And it’s of course worth noting that this is all just for the World Cup telecasts in the United States, which is a relatively small soccer market compared to the rest of the world. Broadcasters in other countries are also shelling out big to air the quadrennial tournament.In fact, in 2013 alone FIFA collected a massive $601 million from 2014 World Cup broadcasting rights, making up 43% of its annual revenue. Assuming that ESPN’s $100 million payout for 2010 and 2014 is evenly divided over eight years, its rights fees would make up just 2% of FIFA’s annual World Cup broadcasting income. Follow ChrisSmith813The Last-Minute Shopping List For The Ultimate Brazil Fan. Here in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, it’s a big day. Joe Biden is here chilling with Dilma. And the Brazilian team is playing their second match of the World Cup. The entire month during the World Cup is a holiday for most Brazilians. Offices are closed and the streets are noisy with fireworks and horns and plastered with green and yellow. For those fans who need to dress for the game, though, impromptu vendors have them covered. A popular passageway in Brasila is crowded with people selling jerseys, flags, hats, horns, wigs, and more. The best part is that they’re cheap. Here’s the list of stuff for sale: Jerseys $12 ($24 for the better kind with the collar, and $14 for the long-sleeve blue version) Wigs $7 Small flags $1 Large flags $9 Soccer ball hat $9 FIFA Coins Bags $2 Tank tops for girls $5 Baby jerseys $12 Then there are the horns. They’re from $5 to $12 and they come in an exciting variety hand-sized horns to blow, double-horns that produce an awful dissonance, a high-pitched shrieking horn that’s pumped like a water gun, and the old-fashioned megaphone crooner. It’s not for tourists. Half of the Brazilians passing through are buying the gear, or at least asking about the price. Claudio Alves, a 40-year-old janitor at a university, sells the cheap merch whenever Brazil’s team plays. He expects to make $500 today. At least not all the money’s going to FIFA.Earnings Preview: Nike's Strategy Should Keep Delivering Growth Across All Categories.