For a long time, sports started at kickoff and ended at the final whistle. That’s not how it works anymore. Today’s fans don’t just watch the game. They live inside it. They follow every trade rumor, every locker room storyline, every off-field moment that might shape what happens next. And when the game ends, they’re not done. If anything, they’re just getting started.

That’s where podcasts come in. They’ve quietly become one of the most important ways fans stay connected — not just to the game, but to everything around it.

Younger fans, especially, are leaning in. They’re going deeper, spending more time with the voices, stories, and conversations that bring the sport to life. Gen Z fans are 2x more likely to listen to sports podcasts than traditional sports fans.

In recent years, sports podcasts have surged. According to the Edison Research Share of Ear Report, in the last five years, share of listening to podcasts for sports content has increased by 71%.

That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident. What’s emerged is a podcast ecosystem that serves every kind of sports fan, from the mainstream fan to the analytics stat rat.

And podcasts aren’t staying in the studio. Live podcast events are becoming cultural moments of their own, with hosts taking their shows on the road to All-Star weekends, championships, and draft events. These experiences blur the line between media and fandom, turning listeners into the participants they’re born to be.

Fans will always love the game. But the game isn’t enough on its own. They want the stories behind it. The pressure. The personalities. What happens in the locker room, at practice, and long after the cameras are gone. Sports podcasts deliver that access. They take fans behind the game, where loyalty deepens.

When fans feel like insiders, they don’t just follow a team. They invest in it. They listen longer.  They come back more often. They stay connected between games and even between seasons.

And podcasts aren’t staying in the studio. Live podcast events are becoming cultural moments of their own, with hosts taking their shows on the road to All-Star weekends, championships, and draft events. These experiences blur the line between media and fandom, turning listeners into the participants they’re born to be.

If you want to understand where real fan energy lives, don’t just look at what’s on screen. Look at where the conversation is happening. Audio, especially podcasts, has become a core part of that.

This is where the diehards are. The ones who care enough to go deeper. The ones who aren’t just watching — they’re listening, reacting, debating, and engaging. And that level of attention is hard to find anywhere else.

When fans choose to spend time with a podcast, it’s different. They’re not scrolling past it.  They’re not half-watching it in the background. They’re in it. And that shows up in how they respond to brands.

Listeners trust the hosts. And that trust extends to the brands that show up there. 

Podcasts have become the place where fans go deeper — where stories unfold, where conversations happen, and where loyalty grows. And for advertisers, that’s where the opportunity is. Because when fans lean in, brands don’t have to fight for attention.

This article is adapted from content originally published in State of Audio: Sports Fandom. Looking for more sports insights? Download the full playbook.