In a notable example of how streaming is transforming the way major sporting events are viewed, Warner Bros. Discovery is reporting that the total unique streaming viewers for Paris 2024 on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platforms in Europe have already exceeded those from the entire last summer Olympic Games after only day two in Paris. The opening weekend also saw Warner Bros. Discovery set a new record for retail gross subscriber acquisitions in a single day across Europe - well ahead of expectations.
Across both Max and discovery+, Paris 2024 has driven almost one billion streaming minutes, more than seven times higher than at the same point of Tokyo 2020 and already representing 75% of the total minutes from those Games. The time people are spending on Max and discovery+ is also significantly increased with average minutes consumed per viewer up 63% compared to Tokyo 2020 so far, the company reported.
WBD also noted that five times more streaming viewers have watched the Games when compared to the same period of Tokyo 2020. The launch of Max has been a key driving factor in audience growth, accounting for 80% of the total streaming audience to date. Saturday 27th July saw a record number of streaming viewers for Warner Bros. Discovery at the Olympic Games.
Engagement on Eurosport’s websites, offering free Olympic news and short-form video, are also up more than 43%.
While streaming has been setting records, WBD also reported that linear TV audiences were also growing. Eurosport's average linear audiences have increased in all major markets compared to Tokyo 2020 and up 98% through the Games so far, going against the trend of a decline in Total TV usage over recent years.
There are many local country highlights from the opening days of the Olympics. The Norway vs Sweden women’s handball match (25th July 2024) is the most watched broadcast on TVNorge in two years and since Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, enjoying a share of 63.9%, and third most watched in 2024 on Kanal 5 in Sweden with 30.6% share.
Olympic Games Paris 2024 runs until the Closing Ceremony on Sunday 11 August 2024. Celebrating its first Olympics as Warner Bros. Discovery, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be shown across nearly 50 markets in 19 languages on Max, discovery+ and through Eurosport on linear television.
