Warner Bros. Discovery has posted significant viewership gains for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics across its European streaming and pay-TV platforms, with the HBO Max series “Heated Rivalry” emerging as one of the most-watched entertainment titles among Games viewers.
The media giant’s HBO Max and Discovery+ services delivered their strongest Winter Olympics streaming performance to date through the opening days of competition, surpassing both Beijing 2022 and PyeongChang 2018 benchmarks. Total hours viewed on streaming platforms jumped 102% compared to Beijing 2022, with triple-digit growth registered in France, Germany, Italy and the U.K.
The number of subscribers streaming Milan-Cortina content exceeded the entire Beijing 2022 audience after just three days of competition, according to WBD. Overall consumption across all platforms increased 39% versus Beijing 2022 at the comparable stage.
Subscribers engaging with Olympics content also consumed substantial entertainment programming, with HBO Max’s “Heated Rivalry” and “The Pitt” Season 2 ranking among the most-viewed titles for Games viewers. The Crave Original series, which follows two hockey players from rival teams navigating their romantic feelings, has captivated audiences since its U.S. premiere in late November, catapulting stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie to global fame.
The show’s cultural momentum intersected directly with the Games when HBO Max announced that Williams and Storrie had been selected as official torchbearers during the Olympic Torch Relay, which concluded Feb. 6 in Milan ahead of the opening ceremony. The series has been renewed for a second season.
Linear television maintained strong performance despite broader industry trends, with WBD’s Eurosport and TNT Sports channels posting 33% growth in hours viewed versus Beijing 2022. France saw Eurosport viewing up 47%, while Germany registered 50% growth and the U.K. and Ireland recorded 60% increases on TNT Sports channels.
“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,” said Andrew Georgiou, president and managing director of WBD Sports Europe. “This quality, coupled with our streaming platforms HBO Max and Discovery+ being the only place to ensure you can watch every moment and every medal, has delivered incredible viewing experiences and results out of the gate.”
Coverage of the Winter Games runs through Feb. 22 on WBD’s European platforms.