Latest Nielsen data shows Winter Olympics poised to attract younger, higher-income audiences

Despite most never having strapped on skis or skates, Aussies are keen for some ice and snow action

Sydney February Thursday 5, 2026 - With the Milano Winter Olympics almost here, Nielsen has released new Consumer & Media View (CMV) data highlighting which Australians will likely be watching, what sports peak their interest, and how strongly winter sports fandom rises with household income..

The Nielsen CMV survey data shows that interest in the sports at the heart of the Games' is strong among Australians, with an estimated 4.9 million (21.66%) saying they're interested in ice skating, followed by snow skiing at 4.29 million (18.9%), and snowboarding at 3.87 million (17.1%).

They're big numbers considering just 1.07 million Australians (4.7%) actually participate in skiing at least once a year, compared with the 4.29 million who say they're interested in the sport. Meanwhile snowboarding participation sits at about 0.76 million (3.4%) and ice skating at 0.88 million (3.9%).

Age plays a big factor in interest levels, with one-third (33.4%) of 14-17-year-olds saying they're interested in ice skating, along with strong levels for skiing (23.8%) and snowboarding (23.8%). For 18-24s, interest also remains high, with 29.6% for ice skating and 23.0% for snowboarding. Meanwhile, over-55s are less likely to engage, particularly for snowboarding, at just (7.9%).

Interest in winter sports also goes up with income, with households earning more than $250,000 strongly exceeding the national average. In that bracket, 29.2% are interested in skiing and 23.1% are interested in snowboarding.

Additionally, Australians who watched 9Now in the past month show higher interest across key winter sports (including 23.7% for skiing and 27% for ice skating), reinforcing the role of digital video and catch-up viewing in how Australians follow major sporting events.

Social also plays a role, with TikTok users showing higher interest than the national average in ice skating (26.9%) and snowboarding (21.4%), aligning with the way highlights, athletes and behind-the-scenes content,in short-form, engages audiences during global sporting events.

Scott Gillham, Nielsen's Executive Director of Audience Measurement, Pacific, said: The Winter Olympics gives advertisers that rare mix of scale and premium audience, especially younger Australians and higher-income households. Events like this require media plans that cover live TV, streaming, catch-up, and social, with creative tailored to those different fans.

Glenn Channell, Nielsen's Pacific Product Solutions Lead added: In Australia, the interest in Winter Olympics is more about the stories and aspiration than participation, and that's why it cuts through with younger, more lifestyle-oriented viewers. This CMV data shows that interest in winter-sports overlaps with high-engagement and viewers interested in travel, outdoor recreation, apparel, automotive and tech, making the Winter Olympics a safe bet for brands wanting high-attention and premium consumers outside the usual sports calendar, providing they align their creative to the consumer. That's where CMV comes in.

About the research Findings are based on Nielsen's 2025 S08 National Survey (Australia), n=30,572 (unweighted), weighted to population (Australians aged 14+). Figures reflect reported interest in winter sports aligned with Winter Olympics viewing and conversation, plus participation frequency for snow skiing, snowboarding and ice skating.

About Nielsen Consumer & Media View (CMV) Nielsen Consumer & Media View, with its extensive breadth and depth of data, lets you access consumer research that is vital to achieving strong business and marketing goals.

Nielsen CMV is an essential tool for understanding the constantly evolving consumer landscape. With rich demographic and lifestyle data, and information on purchasing behaviours and intentions alongside extensive media habit reporting, CMV helps you shape successful brand, advertising and marketing strategies.

CMV provides an invaluable resource for identifying priority audiences to inform the planning, buying, or selling of advertising media, to inform business and consumer strategies, and to build a comprehensive market/category landscape view.

About Nielsen Nielsen is a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their global audiences now and into the future. Learn more at www.nielsen.com and connect with us on social media (X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram).

Media Contact Dan Chapman

Assoc. Director, Communications, Nielsen APAC

dan.chapman@nielsen.com

+61 404 088 462

LINK:	https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2026/latest-nielsen-data-shows-win...
	See more stories from arbitron

Most recent headlines