WBD grows Australian Open audience
January 25, 2023
Warner Bros Discovery Sports (WBDS) has reported audience growth year-on-year across Europe on its streaming platforms discovery+ and the Eurosport App for its exclusive coverage of the Australian Open 2023 following week one of the tournament.
Streaming audiences increased by almost a third across Europe on discovery+ and the Eurosport App.
Other growth highlights include:
- discovery+ more than doubled its streaming audience supported by coverage of every match in new markets in 2023 including Germany and Austria
- Key markets included France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK reported double-digit streaming growth
- Triple-digit growth was observed in Denmark and Norway with heightened awareness of emerging Nordic stars Holger Rune and Casper Ruud
Linear television viewership remains strong:
- Linear television viewership across Europe on Eurosport 1 was consistent with the 2022 tournament, where matches broke audience records
- Eurosport 1 audiences grew 84 per cent in Poland and 39 per cent in the Netherlands – boosted by the performances of local heroes (including Magda Linette, Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek in Poland, and the all-Dutch tie of Tallon Griekspoor v Botic Van de Zandschulp in the Netherlands)
- Eurosport 2 enjoyed a +16 per cent growth in viewers across Europe, showcasing the action from the Margaret Court Arena in addition to local broadcast windows in key markets
Andy Murray’s five-set epic – the second longest in Australian Open history – against Australian hero Thanasi Kokkinakis attracted the highest number of viewers across Warner Bros Discovery’s channels and platforms in all markets so far.
The Australian Open quarter-finals began on January 24th with every match of the tournament including both the women’s singles final (January 28th) and the men’s singles final (January 29th) available to watch live and on-demand exclusively in Europe on discovery+, Eurosport and the Eurosport App.