MAX DRIVES RECORD WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY OLYMPICS COVERAGE TO NEAR ONE BILLION MINUTES VIEWED AFTER ONLY DAY TWO

The introduction of Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s enhanced streaming service, has helped transform the way audiences experience the Olympic Games across Europe. 

The total unique streaming viewers for Paris 2024 on Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platforms 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. 

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.

JB Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games, Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are off to a fantastic start, and the recent rollout of Max in Europe is fueling record setting audiences and engagement. The powerful and unique combination of premium movies and scripted content, the best of real life entertainment, and many of the biggest events in international sports is bringing more people to Max and keeping them engaged for even longer.  It’s still early days, so we’re excited to build further on this early success over the next two weeks.”

Andrew Georgiou, President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. Discovery U.K & Ireland and WBD Sports Europe, said: “There has been much anticipation for Paris 2024, so it is hugely rewarding to see the quality of our sports production and user experience of our streaming platform resonate so strongly with viewers across Europe. In only a few days, we’ve seen how the combination of premium sport and entertainment brings an audience together on all platforms. Whether it’s the energy of our near 100-strong line-up of outstanding on-screen presenters and experts, incredible rooftop studios at WBD House in Paris or fan-first features such as gold medal alerts on Max and discovery+, Warner Bros. Discovery is delivering an Olympic experience beyond anything seen before.”

Engagement on Eurosport’s websites, offering free Olympic news and short-form video, are also up more than 43%. 

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.

*Day 1 & 2 of the Olympic Games were held on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th July 2024 but with sports events at the Games having commenced on Wednesday 24th July with the Opening Ceremony held on 26th July.
** Linear TV audience across the following territories: Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, U.K