Much has been said lately of radio as the most effective way to reach the most devoted football fans. Now, a new report is sharing how that advantage extends across all major US sports, with AM/FM consistently delivering the most attentive audiences for advertisers.
According to Audacy’s Insights division, 84% of Americans identify as sports fans, but the most engaged are sports radio listeners.
Daily sports radio listeners consistently outpace other audiences in fandom intensity across the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. 97% percent of daily listeners identify as NFL fans compared to just 66% of non-listeners. Among MLB fans, 90% of daily listeners follow the league closely, compared with 41% of non-listeners.
For the NBA, it’s 85% versus 45%. Even the NHL sees a dramatic gap, with 78% of daily sports radio listeners calling themselves fans compared to 24% of non-listeners.
These fans are four times more likely to hear a brand’s message on sports radio than see it on TV, and far less likely to skip ads. While 80% of fans say they avoid television commercials, only 20% skip radio ads. The study found that 61% of weekly sports radio listeners view companies more positively when they advertise with local hosts, a dynamic Audacy attributes to the trust built between personalities and their audiences.
The report also notes that sports radio occupies moments television can’t reach, like morning commutes, errands, workouts, and tailgates.
The 2024 State of Sports Media report by Harker Bos Group’s Crowd React Media found AM/FM remains the leading sports audio source, with 56% of fans tuning in for play-by-play, talk, and analysis. While podcasts are growing, radio holds its ground, especially among older fans, while younger listeners drive overall audio growth, with 67% of adults 18–39 engaging through radio or podcasts.
