Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the multinational media and entertainment giant, recorded year-on-year audience growth for its coverage of the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament’s opening week.
The viewership increase was generated through streaming and television audiences on WBD’s pan-European broadcaster Eurosport, as well as streaming platforms Eurosport app and Discovery+ across the 50 countries and territories where the company holds rights to the tournament.
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The broadcaster said its streaming audiences had increased by almost a third across Europe across the two streaming platforms compared to the first week of last year’s tournament.
The figures revealed that Discovery+ more than doubled its streaming audience, assisted by its coverage in new markets Germany and Austria this year.
Key markets including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK saw double-digit streaming growth, while triple-digit growth was seen in Denmark and Norway due to emerging Nordic stars Holger Rune and Casper Ruud.
Meanwhile, British legend Andy Murray’s five-set game against Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, which was the second-longest Australian Open match in history, attracted the highest number of viewers across all of WBD’s channels and platforms in all markets.
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By GlobalDataWBD’s linear audiences, meanwhile, also remained strong across Europe through the Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 channels on the back of local players featuring in the tournament.
Eurosport 1 audiences grew 84% in Poland on the back of performances by the country’s Magda Linette, Hubert Hurkacz, and Iga Swiatek, while audiences in the Netherlands increased 39% through the all-Dutch tie of Tallon Griekspoor and Botic Van de Zandschulp.
In total, WBD said Eurosport 1 audiences have been consistent with the record-breaking 2022 tournament, while Eurosport 2 saw a 16% bump in viewers across Europe.
Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
