No doubt Univision will get a ratings boost from its coverage of the soccer World Cup, but the numbers may undercount the actual gain in viewership. In the environs of AdFreak’s offices, a number of heretofore TV-free restaurants and cafes have suddenly installed TVs so they can lure in the local soccer fans. But it seems some of them don’t want to bother with the hassle of getting cable hooked up for the tournament’s one-month duration and then getting it unhooked. (Or maybe the cable guy just hasn’t shown up yet.) So, instead of ESPN’s coverage, they’re going with Univision’s, which is available here via an over-the-air TV station, giving that outlet a boost in audience that won’t show up in the ratings. Fans who watch on Univision can be distinguished by their tendency to say “gol” rather than “goal,” while those who watch on ESPN tend to say “nil” rather than “zero.”

—Posted by Mark Dolliver