Discovery claims gold with Olympics coverage

Discovery has revealed that new paid streaming subscribers acquired during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games exceeded those who joined during Pyeongchang 2018 by 50%.

This comes after discovery+ has launched in major territories such as the UK and US since the last Winter Games.

The 2022 Games came to an end on Sunday, with the Winter Paralympics to now go ahead 4-13 March - broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK.

In total, over 156 million Europeans visited Discovery’s platforms during the event, with over a billion minutes streamed. In particular, discovery+ and Eurosport streaming services saw eight times more streaming viewers than Pyeongchang as users consumed more than double the content with average consumption exceeding seven hours per viewer. 

Viewers on linear TV also watched for longer, tuning in for an average of 24% more time than during Pyeongchang. Otherwise, linear audiences stayed in line with the 2018 event. Discovery’s free-to-air channels in the Nordics hit audience shares of 88% (Norway), 83% (Sweden) and 82% (Finland), while Eurosport saw share growth in Poland (+36%), Romania (+23%), and Italy (+250%).

Jean-Briac Perrette, president and CEO of Discovery Streaming & International, said: “The Winter Olympics has proven to be a terrific success for discovery+ and all our channels and platforms across Europe. Discovery is leading the way in building global scale in streaming whilst also maintaining strength in traditional television viewership, significantly outperforming the market across both.

“Well over half of all new Olympics subscribers also enjoyed discovery+’s entertainment content, reinforcing the increased depth and value of our offering. These subscribers remain engaged and retained for longer, which meaningfully improves subscriber lifetime value.”

Andrew Georgiou, president of sports for Discovery, added: “The Olympics is a standout example of how Discovery is unique in its ability to grow audience and engagement for sports and the greatest events in the world. It is a winning formula as we utilise our unrivalled scale across every platform, maximising reach and giving consumers the ability to watch wherever they choose. From discovery+ to our free-to-air networks and Eurosport channels, as well as live updates, news and on-demand video from our ad-supported digital and social platforms.  

“Yet all this wouldn’t succeed without the quality and depth of storytelling we deliver. Our outstanding line-up of experts and editorial teams have set us apart in terms of providing the best sporting analysis as well as covering the biggest stories of the Olympics. Discovery’s unique European footprint and scale, as well as our use of the newest technology, allowed us to tell the most important stories in the most compelling way.”

Images: Getty Images