Radio continues to be a pivotal medium for NFL fans and advertisers, as emphasized by Westwood One’s findings in the first four weeks of the 2023-2024 season. This adds a layer of effectiveness for advertisers aiming to reach engaged and passionate football fans who are traditionally more responsive to radio advertising.
As discussed in this week’s Audio Active blog, the profile of NFL radio listeners is more upscale compared to average Americans, according to GfK MRI. This implies that radio isn’t just a “last resort” option but a preferred choice for a more affluent demographic, making it an attractive medium for advertisers aiming for greater spending power. According to a specialized NFL game day audience study, Westwood One found adding radio broadcasts to an NFL TV ad campaign can enhance reach among high-income men by 14% and young men aged 18-34 by 18%. Sports betting is also more common among radio listeners, according to Nielsen Scarborough.
Moreover, the unique audience for Westwood One’s NFL radio broadcasts doesn’t just remain static. It starts with 7 million unique listeners in the first week of the NFL season and expands to 18 million by September’s end, showing radio’s dynamic ability to continuously attract new listeners throughout the football season.
According to Nielsen Scarborough, 55% of the people who watch NFL Thursday Night Football are not Amazon Prime members, making radio an important alternative for these viewers. Westwood One boasts a season-long audience of 56 million, as per Nielsen’s analysis. Advertisers aiming to reach a broad spectrum of listeners, including those who can’t access games on TV or Amazon Prime, can tap into this massive audience.
In summary, radio’s importance in bringing NFL action to fans is a boon to advertisers. It not only fills the gap for those without Amazon Prime but also adds a valuable dimension to multimedia ad campaigns, reaches an upscale audience, and continually attracts new, engaged listeners.
