When the final whistle blows, the game may be over, but for die-hard sports fans, the excitement never stops. They turn to sports radio to keep the conversation going. The recent Sports Radio Listener study conducted by Audacy Sports dove deep into the nature of fandom, uncovering the crucial role sports radio plays in driving fan engagement, loyalty, and advertiser impact.

Here are six key takeaways. 

Across the country, 84% of Americans identify as sports fans, but the most avid, committed fans are sports radio listeners. These are the team fanatics, and sports radio fuels their devotion.

Sports radio fans are avid superfans of the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, and their excitement doesn’t stop when the game ends.

At Audacy, we fuel that fandom with 24/7 sports talk opinion, analysis, and conversations happening in the biggest sports markets nationwide. Our hosts offer unmatched insight and knowledge of their local teams, earning the trust and loyalty of our listeners.

Here’s what our listeners say:

The connection we have with listeners even extends to the pro athletes playing in each market — take Bryce Harper for example. The 8x MLB All Star for the Philadelphia Phillies shares how WIP is part of his daily ritual as he heads to the ball park on game days:

Sports radio offers an unbeatable platform for advertisers. Our audience isn’t just listening; they’re engaged and deeply connected. And the brands that support their favorite teams and leagues become part of the community.

Advertisers leverage this fandom and enjoy significant advantages when they share their message on sports radio:

This positive fan energy leads to real action. Fans respond to ads they hear with enthusiasm and continued loyalty. Consider these compelling statistics:

Our sports radio listeners are:

Today’s fans are everywhere, but they’re most focused when tuning into sports radio. They’re actively engaged as they listen throughout the day — when they’re in the car, at the beach, or walking the dog. Brands that advertise on sports radio cut through the clutter — big time.  

Sports radio listeners don’t hit the fridge or scroll Instagram during ad breaks. They listen. Among fans, 80% say they avoid TV ads, but only 20% skip radio ads. 

Sports radio delivers. Listeners notice, trust, and seek out brands advertised on radio more than on TV.

Today’s die-hard fans are all about their teams and players. Superfans don’t tune out after games; they tune in to sports talk for hours all week. Brands that only advertise in live games are missing 80% of sports fan action.  

For superfans, sports talk is oxygen. They’re obsessed with every trade, play, and injury report, and 40% prefer it over live games. 

Advertising with Audacy is the play brands are looking for! Our die-hard listeners have a positive association with brands that support their favorite sports stations and teams which in turn, earns their trust and loyalty.

Advertising on Audacy Sports drives results across the entire marketing funnel.

Most notably: when a brand partners with one of our sports talk hosts, 61% of weekly listeners view that company more positively.

Sports radio delivers for top advertiser categories like auto, insurance, quick-service restaurants, telecom, beverage, and retail — engaging fans across the brand journey. Fans remember national and local brands that sponsor their beloved teams and advertise on sports radio.

In Audacy’s key sports markets, radio advertisers recorded sky-high brand lift – scoring double digit wins across the board:

In Philadelphia, Phillies fans recalled 60% of top local radio advertisers. Boston’s Shaw’s Supermarket even outperformed giants like Nike and Pepsi in unaided recall. Businesses that lean into radio get noticed.

Today’s advertisers are hungry to reach engaged consumers in high-quality, brand-safe environments, and there’s no better place than sports radio and Audacy Sports’ passionate listeners.

If you aren’t in the sports radio game and want to learn more about the power of audio, now is the moment. With Audacy Sports, there are opportunities for brands to align with teams via play-by-play as well as more creative integrations by working with our unparallelled sports talk radio hosts. The MLB and WNBA postseasons are looming, while football season is just beginning. Fans remember the advertisers that support their teams and reward them for it.