NOTES

The Women’s World Cup has been around for less than two weeks and its television ratings are already better than the NHL’s. ESPN has a .82 cable rating in five World Cup games so far compared with a .59 mark on NHL regular-season games this past season.

The cable network also has broadcast 17 Women’s World Cup games on ESPN2, with a .51 mark.

ESPN’s game last Thursday between the United States and Nigeria drew a 1.85 rating and was seen in 1.4 million homes.

Sunday’s United States-North Korea game on ESPN2 got a 1.96 rating and was seen in 1.3 million homes.