Warner Bros. Discovery Achieves Record Viewership for Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has reported substantial viewership increases for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics across its European streaming and pay-TV platforms. The company's HBO Max and Discovery+ services have achieved their strongest Winter Olympics streaming performance to date, surpassing viewership benchmarks set during the Beijing 2022 and PyeongChang 2018 Games. Total hours viewed on these platforms surged by 102% compared to Beijing 2022, with notable growth observed in France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K. The number of subscribers streaming content related to the Milan-Cortina Games exceeded the entire audience for Beijing 2022 within just three days of competition.

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The increased engagement with Olympic content has also driven significant interest in entertainment programming, particularly the HBO Max series “Heated Rivalry.” This series, which follows two hockey players from rival teams as they navigate their romantic feelings, has become one of the most-watched titles among Olympic viewers. The show's cultural relevance was amplified when its stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, were selected as official torchbearers during the Olympic Torch Relay, which concluded on February 6 in Milan. Following its success, “Heated Rivalry” has been renewed for a second season.

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Despite broader industry trends affecting traditional television, WBD's Eurosport and TNT Sports channels have also seen strong performance during the Olympics. These channels recorded a 33% increase in hours viewed compared to Beijing 2022, with Eurosport viewing in France up by 47%, Germany by 50%, and the U.K. and Ireland by 60% on TNT Sports channels.

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Andrew Georgiou, president and managing director of WBD Sports Europe, expressed satisfaction with the viewership growth, stating, “We are delighted with the significant increase in viewership and engagement seen during the first week of the Games, demonstrating that our coverage on both Eurosport, across Europe, and TNT Sports, in the U.K., is being recognized locally as the go-to destinations for leading sports coverage.” He emphasized that the combination of quality coverage and exclusive streaming access has resulted in exceptional viewing experiences.

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The coverage of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games will continue through February 22, 2026, as WBD aims to maintain its momentum in viewership and engagement across its platforms.

Variety Magazine