The NFL is back. And some fans are more electrified than others. New Audacy research reveals where NFL fandom runs deepest — and just how much time, energy and emotion fans put into the game.  

For some, September 9th is just another Wednesday night. For others, it’s the start of a seven-day-a-week obsession, following team news, tracking players, debating matchups, watching pre- and post-game coverage, checking social feeds and, placing a few bets along the way.

So what does it really mean to be an die-hard NFL fan? The NFL Attention Index takes a closer look at the answer. 

Built around two dimensions: avidity and engagement, the Index reveals where NFL fandom is strongest and how the most passionate fans express their fandom. And the results show something pretty clear: NFL fans don’t just watch football. They live it.  

If you want to find the most avid NFL fans, start with avidity indexes for these markets.

Bills Mafia takes the top spot, but the bigger story is just how widespread the passion is. From Dallas to Cincinnati, Kansas City to Philadelphia, NFL fandom runs deep across markets with proud football traditions.

Now that we know where the diehards live, the next question is obvious. Which media platforms win their time and attention? Here’s a hint: don’t follow the cameras. Follow the conversation. Across media, Audio attracts the most avid sports fans.

Sports audio is where the conversation lives when the game isn’t on. Compared to other media, audio delivers the highest concentration of sports superfans. And NFL fans sit at the top of the avidity scale.

Avidity isn’t just about whether someone says they’re a fan. It’s about how much attention they’re willing to give the game. And NFL fans are giving it plenty.

NFL fans put in some serious time. Among avid NFL fans, nearly one in four spends six or more hours a week keeping up with sports content. That’s 15% spending 6–10 hours and another 7% spending 11+ hours every week.

Think about that. For nearly a quarter of avid NFL fans, keeping up with sports is practically a part-time job. 

The most passionate NFL fans don’t simply tune in when the game starts. They’re plugged in before, during and after — and they’re using every screen and every channel to stay connected.

47% follow news about their favorite sports teams weekly or more.

On game day:

In other words, their fandom isn’t happening in just one place. It’s happening across TV, audio, social, mobile and conversation — all at once.

And the engagement doesn’t stop when the game does.

41% follow athletes or influencers on social media. 61% love having “inside knowledge.” And 41% sports bet monthly or more.

These are fans who want to know what’s happening, what’s going to happen and, maybe most importantly, what other fans don’t know yet.

There’s also a deeper side to the NFL Attention Index. For avid fans, being a sports fan isn’t just a hobby. It’s part of how they see themselves, and how they connect with other people.

69% say being a fan makes them feel part of the community.

And 61% say their love for sports is a major part of who they are.

That’s a powerful distinction. Because when fandom becomes part of someone’s identity, attention becomes more than a metric. It’s a relationship. Fans aren’t just consuming sports content. They’re looking for information, entertainment, connection and the feeling that they’re part of something bigger.

The NFL Attention Index tells a compelling story. The most avid NFL fans aren’t casual consumers. They’re deeply invested audiences who spend hours keeping up with the sport, follow their teams throughout the week, engage across platforms and see fandom as part of their identity.

And that attention is valuable. For brands looking to connect with NFL fans, the opportunity isn’t simply to reach someone watching a game.

It’s to reach someone who is already paying attention — to the game, the story, the players, the personalities and everything happening around it.

That’s the difference between an audience that’s watching and an audience that’s all in.

At Audacy, we know what it means to be all in. We’re home to #1 in Sports Audio, connecting brands with some of the most passionate sports fans in the country across sports radio, podcasts, digital audio and more. Because when it comes to sports, we don’t just know the audience. We know the fandom.