As sports audiences only continue to grow across the United States, sports radio is in a unique position to help brands directly benefit from some of the world’s most passionate fanbases. New research from Audacy reveals keys to profitable interactions for the format.
Audacy’s Sports & Fandom study highlights the pivotal role of sports radio in enhancing fan engagement and boosting advertiser impact.
Sports radio listeners, who make up the vast majority of the 84% of Americans who identify as sports fans, remain engaged well beyond the game’s final moments. This level of dedication is evident as 90% feel more connected to their teams through radio, and 80% appreciate the honest coverage and comprehensive play-by-play commentary.
Brands advertising on sports radio enjoy a deep connection with fans with listeners being four times more likely to buy from advertisers, three times more likely to visit their websites, and six times more likely to download their apps.
Sports radio effectively reaches fans throughout their day, with 73% spending more time listening to sports audio than engaging with sports on digital media. Remarkably, while 80% of sports fans skip TV ads, only 20% overlook radio ads. Integrating ads into both sports talk and live games captures 79% of fan activity, with 40% of superfans preferring sports talk to live games.
Advertising on sports radio was found to significantly enhance brand recognition and loyalty, with Audacy Sports seeing a 40% increase in brand purchase and usage when brands partner with sports talk hosts.
Finally, sports radio is highly effective across multiple advertiser verticals, including automotive, insurance, and retail, with double digit brand recall improvements noted in Audacy’s key sports markets like New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, and San Francisco.
This supplements previous data from SiriusXM Media, GroupM, and Edison Research that found sports fans engage with audio content for an average of over six hours daily, including more than 90 minutes dedicated to sports-related audio. Audio is favored for its unique perspectives and exclusive content.
Audio content keeps 86% of listeners connected to their favorite sports teams, with 58% tuning in as part of a fan community and 56% to maintain social connections. Endorsements by athletes in audio ads were also found to resonate strongly, particularly among podcast listeners, highlighting the effectiveness of this medium in influencing consumer behavior.
