Paralympic leaders excited about record viewership for Milano Cortina 2026, eye bigger stage at LA 2028

TORONTO – Record audiences across television, streaming, and digital platforms during the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games have positioned the Paralympic Movement for an even larger stage at the LA 2028 Games.

Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, Chris Wilson, executive director at CBC Sports, Rachael Pinnock, director of commercial strategy and impact at the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and Para athletics sprint star and athlete advocate Marissa Papaconstantinou analyzed those numbers from the Games and its impact at a special panel discussion Tuesday morning in the CBC atrium. Paralympian Karolina Wisniewska emceed the event.

Parsons says the record audiences over the past two Paralympic Game (Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026) is evidence of shifting public attitudes and expanded storytelling around Para sport.

‘’The only way you change the world is when you change perceptions,’’ said Parsons, pointing out that the movement’s impact extends well beyond medals and competition.

‘’We are not the Olympics. We are the Paralympics. We bring something different to the table.’’

In Canada, one of the defining stories of Milano Cortina was the wheelchair curling team, which went undefeated en route to the gold medal. Jon Thurston executed an incredible shot in a preliminary round game that was viewed millions of times online, while the team produced dramatic comebacks throughout the tournament to set the stage for an unforgettable gold-medal final.

Wilson said the wheelchair curling final between China and Canada may have been the broadcaster’s most watched Paralympic moment, drawing roughly 677,000 viewers.

‘’What I also really loved was the response wheelchair curling was getting on social media,’’ added Papaconstantinou, who also served as one of CBC’s broadcast hosts for the Games. ‘’It changed perspectives. It challenged perceptions of Para sport and how talented these athletes are.’’

Wilson said the CBC consumption for Milano Cortina rivalled the much larger Paris 2024 Games despite fewer sports and fewer days of competition. He   stated the digital engagement rose 30 per cent over Paris and quadrupled Beijing 2022’s numbers. In all, 10 million Canadians tuned into broadcast coverage on CBC/Radio-Canada.

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Pinnock said corporate partners also played a central role in expanding the Paralympic Movement’s reach beyond sport.

‘’The Paralympic Movement wants to change the world for people with a disability and collaboration with corporate partners is essential for making that happen.’’

Pinnock said partnerships are producing measurable results for both the movement and brands that align with Paralympic sports. That impact increases consumer trust, purchase consideration, and brand favourability.

‘’We’re seeing real differentiation for brands that support the Paralympic Movement,’’ Pinnock said. ‘’That impact is even greater when partners collaborate directly with the community and tell those stories authentically.’’

She pointed to Air Canada’s TV campaign during the Games, which featured Tyler McGregor’s journey from promising hockey pro to his cancer diagnosis and successful recovery to becoming one of the top Para ice hockey players in the world.

‘’So much care was taken to make sure that story was told through the athlete’s voice and with experts in the production room,’’ she said. ‘’That’s where you see the strongest impact.’’

The focus now shifts to Los Angeles in 2028, a Paralympic Games many believe could deliver unprecedented global exposure.

‘’This is probably the most eyeballs we’re ever going to see on the Paralympics,’’ said Papaconstantinou. ‘’It’s going to carry the momentum that we’ve seen with the Paralympic Movement.

Wilson says CBC is committed to building that momentum for LA.

‘’One of the things we take pride in is making sure we just don’t helicopter in for two weeks and disappear for two years,’’ said Wilson. ‘’The Olympics and Paralympics are our beat, and we have some exciting announcements coming about our sports coverage for the coming years.’’