ESPN is making a huge investment in World Cup coverage, paying $100 million for the rights to the 2010 and 2014 tournaments, based on the conviction that not only do Americans know the beautiful game, they want all they can get.

The 2006 tournament on ESPN and ABC drew the largest audiences for a World Cup outside the United States. But research afterward showed the network could do more to show fans it’s taking the sport seriously.

Now the network is trying to do just that, and to attract even more viewers, despite the time zone challenges of this year’s event in South Africa, which is six hours ahead of New York and nine hours ahead of Los Angeles.

“The simple math of ratings, if you can take that audience and get them to watch for a longer period of time, it has the same effect as growing the number of viewers,” said Jed Drake, executive producer for ESPN’s World Cup coverage. “We really have targeted our presentation now for a knowledgeable soccer audience.”

The same network that drew criticism for calling 20 matches from U.S. studios four years ago is putting together a staff of 300 people to produce the event in South Africa. ESPN has hired British announcers and plans 65 hours of live studio programming from Johannesburg.

“We have a production plan that we think is up to the level of ambition of this event with a great group of commentators that we’ve assembled, a broadcast operation that is far and away the biggest we’ve ever amassed outside of the U.S.,” Drake said.

The ESPN compound at the International Broadcast Center in Johannesburg is massive, dwarfing that of any other operation. A large bullpen is filled with editors and writers, with more than a dozen big-screen TVs on the walls. There are four editing suites and three control rooms, the largest of which has 10 high-definition screens that show everything ESPN is doing.

“You look at the footprint of this facility and we are, shall we say, quite large,” Drake said. “It’s just part of the commitment. You only do something at this level with the best equipment and the best people.”