IOC delivers Winter Olympics daily briefing in Milan

Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – Media & Engagement Update

Key Concepts:

• Media Rights Holders (MRHs): Entities licensed to broadcast the Olympic Games. Currently 40 MRHs with over 80 sub-licenses covering global broadcasting.
• Digital Streaming: Increasing viewership via platforms like Peacock, HBO Max, and Discovery+.
• Olympic Platforms: IOC-owned digital platforms including Olympics.com and the Games app.
• Olympic GPT: A conversational AI integrated into Olympics.com providing information about the Games.
• Creator Programs: Initiatives involving content creators to engage younger audiences.
• Worldwide Olympic Partners: Sponsors contributing financially and logistically to the Games.
• Athlete Engagement: Increased opportunities for athletes to connect with fans via social media.
• Ambush Marketing: Unauthorized marketing activities leveraging the Olympic brand.

1. Audience & Broadcast Performance

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are experiencing strong audience engagement across all platforms. MRHs report exceeding expectations, even in challenging time zones. Key highlights include:

• Italy: Over two-thirds of Italians have watched Games coverage, surpassing viewership of the three previous Winter Games combined.
• Europe (EBU): European Broadcasting Union members are outperforming typical market shares.
• France: Already surpassed a reach of 15 million viewers, exceeding Torino 2006 figures.
• United States: Averaging 24.3 million viewers on NBC, marking the most-watched Winter Games presentation since Sochi 2014.
• Asia: Audience expectations are being surpassed despite time zone challenges, with anticipation building for figure skating finals.
• Australia & Brazil: Emerging markets showing significant audience growth, with Brazil achieving a record audience, likely boosted by Lucas Pin Bratton’s gold medal.

2. Digital Engagement & Innovation

Digital viewership is experiencing substantial growth, driven by strategic initiatives:

• Streaming Growth: Several markets have already exceeded streaming consumption of the entire Beijing 2022 Games. Warner Bros. Discovery reports a triple-digit percentage increase in total hours viewed on HBO Max and Discovery+. Peacock (US) has streamed 11.2 billion minutes of Milano Cortina 2026 content, up 62% from all prior Winter Games combined.
• Olympics.com: The IOC’s direct-to-consumer platform has exceeded 100 million unique users, surpassing the total for the entire Beijing 2022 Games (68 million). The platform features localized content, 8,400 articles, 8,600+ videos, and 900+ athlete interviews.
• Olympic GPT: The AI-powered conversational agent on Olympics.com is driving significant user engagement.
• Games App: The official Games app is the #1 downloaded app in over 75 countries.
• Social Media: Total social media engagements have surpassed 9 billion, with Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube being key platforms.
• Creator Programs: Over 100 creators are generating content targeted at younger audiences, collaborating with social media platforms to increase visibility.
• Roblox Integration: The Brookhaven game experience has seen over 1.3 billion visits, a 60x increase from Paris 2024.
• Netflix Collaboration: Series collaborations with Netflix aim to build audience engagement and introduce athletes’ stories.

3. Partnership & Sponsorship Activation

The IOC is actively collaborating with Worldwide Olympic Partners to enhance the Games experience:

• Partner Integration: Partners are activating across venues, creating a festive atmosphere for fans.
• Strategic Partnerships: Examples include PNG’s integration at figure skating’s kiss and cry, TCL’s involvement in the athlete moment, and Alliance’s branding in athlete preparation areas.
• Licensing Programs: Strong merchandise sales indicate high fan engagement and success.
• Consultation for the Future: A “Fit for the Future” consultation is underway to evolve the top program and ensure continued relevance.

4. Athlete Engagement & Social Media Guidelines

The IOC is empowering athletes to connect with fans:

• Social Media Guidelines: Updated guidelines (introduced with Paris 2024) allow athletes to post more content natively on their platforms.
• Content Amplification: Collaboration with social media platforms ensures greater visibility for athlete-generated content.
• Record Athlete Engagement: 1.4 billion engagements from athlete postings, highlighting their role as ambassadors.

5. Key Arguments & Perspectives

• Growth Across Platforms: The IOC emphasizes that the success of the Games isn’t a transition from broadcast to digital, but rather growth across all platforms. The Olympic brand’s universal appeal drives engagement across demographics and media.
• Balancing Commercialization & Olympic Values: The IOC aims to balance partner integration with maintaining the uniqueness of the Games presentation.
• Athlete Expression: The IOC supports athlete expression within guidelines, allowing personal displays of commemoration or support while maintaining a focus on the field of play.

6. Notable Quotes

• Ani Vumar (IOC Television and Marketing Services Managing Director): “The Olympic Games are stronger than ever…we see this passion…translating into great audiences and engagement.”
• Yannis Exark (CEO, Olympic Broadcasting Services): “All boats have been lifted” – referring to the growth across all media platforms.

7. Ongoing Issues & Considerations

• Casey Wasserman Situation: The IOC acknowledges the controversy surrounding Casey Wasserman but maintains it’s primarily a matter for LA 2028 to address.
• Russian Volunteer Incident: The IOC does not view the incident of a Russian volunteer displaying a Ukrainian sign as a significant issue.
• Political Expression: The IOC acknowledges increased political expression by athletes but maintains its commitment to providing platforms for diverse viewpoints.
• Ambush Marketing: The IOC is monitoring and addressing instances of unauthorized marketing, distinguishing between legitimate athlete practices (e.g., speed skating suit adjustments) and deliberate ambush attempts.

This summary provides a detailed overview of the key points discussed in the transcript, preserving the original language and technical precision. It aims to be actionable and informative, offering specific details and insights into the success of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics’ media and engagement strategy.