PHILADELPHIA, PA – August 13, 2024 – Sports radio fuels fandom and drives impact for advertisers’ brand-building and sales-led campaigns, according to a study conducted by Audacy in partnership with Vision Insights.

The study – “The Power of Sports Fandom” – explores Sports radio’s powerful role in fueling fan engagement, loyalty to content and broadcast brands, and the impact radio delivers for brands and advertisers. The study surveyed 2,275 fans from seven markets with Audacy Sports stations, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

“Sports radio brings fans closer to the games, teams and discussions they love, and creates a highly effective platform for advertisers to connect with deeply engaged audiences,” said Paul Suchman, Chief Marketing Officer, Audacy. “With football season around the corner and baseball pennant races heating up, this is an ideal moment for brands to leverage the bond between Sports radio hosts and listeners on the Audacy Sports platform as they drive brand affinity and positive outcomes for their campaigns.”

The study found that 84% of Americans are sports fans, and the most avid, committed fans are Sports radio listeners. Sports radio fuels these die-hards’ devotion during and around the game, and all moments between. Nine in 10 radio listeners consume play-by-play broadcasts and Sports talk content throughout the week, creating many more touchpoints for brands to connect with deeply engaged, brand-loyal fans.

The engagement and connection that Sports radio uniquely delivers create opportunities for brands to reach their target audiences in environments unmatched by other media. In Audacy’s sports markets, radio advertisers across auto, insurance, quick-serve restaurants, telecom, beverage, and retail recorded demonstrative brand lift and better media campaign performance when advertising on Audacy stations. The study revealed that more than 60% of Sports Talk listeners consider buying brands they hear on Audacy stations. On average, sports fans are 40% more likely to use brands advertised on Audacy than brands that advertise on other sports channels.

Additionally, the study revealed that among weekly Sports talk radio listeners:

View “The Power of Sports Fandom” here. 

Audacy Sports is powered by the Company’s portfolio of 40 owned-and-operated all-sports stations and affiliates, 160 sports streaming channels on the Audacy app, and the No 1. sports podcast network featuring over 600 titles and live events. Audacy Sports also serves as the home to 150 professional and collegiate teams, including play-by-play broadcasts, and produces two national multiplatform sports networks, both distributed in partnership with Westwood One: Infinity Sports Network (formerly known as CBS Sports Radio) with over 300 U.S. affiliates and BetQL Network. Audacy Sports proudly serves as the official audio and podcast partner of Major League Baseball, granting exclusive access to inventory for streaming audio play-by-play in both English and Spanish and official podcasts for the league.