May 27, 2026

Your Sports Playbook: Fans Don’t Want More Ads. They Want Better Moments.

By Audacy Insights Team

7 activations to engage sports fans

Fans don’t want to feel interrupted during the moments they care about most. They want brands that understand the experience, contribute to it, and show up naturally inside it.

That’s what makes Sports Audio different. Whether it’s a trusted host endorsement, a branded segment timed to fan behavior, a live tailgate activation, or a creator bringing a tournament to life across social and streaming, Audio gives advertisers the flexibility to move beyond traditional ads and become part of fandom itself.

The best campaigns don’t simply reach sports fans. They join them.

How Brands Get In the Game

There’s no single “winning” formula for sports audio. Some brands own the room. Some tap trusted voices. Others step off the air and into the tailgate.

Check out how seven leading brands are putting that playbook to work. Same fans. Different plays.

FORD: STUDIO SPONSORSHIP

^{Ford Studio Sponsorship}

By sponsoring the WFAN studio, Ford became part of every conversation. Not just the commercial breaks — a constant presence inside New York’s most passionate sports debates.

DEBORAH HEART & LUNG CENTER: CUSTOM ACTIVATION & NAMING RIGHTS

Some brands buy spots. Deborah owns a seat at the game. As the exclusive sponsor of the Deborah Broadcast Booth at Citizens Bank Park, Deborah Heart and Lung Center secured a one-of-a-kind presence woven directly into Phillies baseball. The result was visibility inside the ballpark, on sports talk radio, and across Phillies broadcasts, all tied to a named asset no other brand could claim.

^{Deborah Heart & Lung Center Sponsorship}

BUFFALO WILD WINGS: AUDIO ENTITLEMENTS

^{Buffalo Wild Wings Audio Entitlements}

Buffalo Wild Wings spiced up its campaigns designed around fan behavior, not ad slots. BWW leveraged the 5 O’Clock feature to influence dinnertime decisions, encouraging listeners to dine in and enjoy the game or opt for convenient takeout.

IMPACT: +11.2% INCREASE IN STORE FOOT TRAFFIC

COLLARS & CO: HOST ENDORSEMENT

Trusted endorsements from NFL legend and WFAN host Tiki Barber made Collars & Co part of everyday fan life — with reads that sound more like advice from a friend than an ad.

HELLMANN’S: EXPERIENTIAL & ONSITE ACTIVATIONS

Hellmann’s integrated Audio and live events. From insider calls and podcast promotion to tailgate tastings, Hellmann’s brought the flavor to the fans.

^{Hellmann’s Onsite Activations}

YUENGLING: PLAY X PLAY SPONSORSHIP

It’s a powerful brand move to own the moment fans can’t miss. Yuengling nabbed an ownership position tied directly to Chicago Cubs broadcasts and brought the brand into every pitch, every call, every reaction.

TABASCO: MARCH MADNESS MEETS MODERN FANDOM

For the NCAA Tournament, Tabasco partnered with Audacy creator Bru as its official college basketball correspondent during the Sweet 16. From live, in-arena social content to fan interactions, Bru brought the “Light Up Your Slice” campaign to life — sampling Tabasco on pizza, sharing his own life hacks, and capturing the full game-day experience, all in real time. The campaign built buzz across streaming Audio and podcasts, then peaked on social. This is what happens when creators travel with fans across every screen, stream, and scroll:

2.7M SOCIAL IMPRESSIONS

5.5M FOLLOWERS ACTIVATED

ONE COHESIVE CAMPAIGN ACROSS AUDIO, SOCIAL, AND LIVE MOMENTS

There’s no single way to win with sports fans, but there is a right way to play. Customize the experience, respect the fandom, and show up where it matters. That’s how Audio turns brand moments into fan moments.