Report: Sports Fans Tune In Locally, 24/7 on Audio
| RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, February 11, 2026 | 4:00am CT |
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 Sports Fandom |
Audacy has released its 2026 State of Audio: Sports Fandom, a new research guide examining how fans are consuming sports content during a uniquely crowded global sports calendar that includes the World Cup, Winter Olympics, World Baseball Classic, and a full slate of major U.S. professional and collegiate sports.
The report finds that as sports viewing becomes more fragmented across television, streaming, and social platforms, audio has emerged as a central hub for the most engaged fans. According to the study, diehard sports fans are 1.4 times more likely to listen to pre- and post-game shows on radio than watch them on television, reinforcing audio's role in sustained, appointment-based engagement.
Local connection stands out as a defining factor. Nearly eight in ten fans say sports make them feel part of a community, and many report muting national broadcasts in favor of local radio calls that reflect their city's history and emotion. Audacy reports it now ranks first in sports talk reach across radio and television, surpassing ESPN and FS1.
The guide also highlights generational shifts in listening habits. Gen Z sports fans are not disengaging from sports, but instead gravitating toward personalities, podcasts, and audio creators rather than traditional networks. Podcasts and on-demand audio now play a growing role in how younger fans follow teams, leagues, and athletes.
From an advertising perspective, the study challenges the idea that sports audio mainly benefits beer, betting, and automotive brands. Audacy's analysis shows measurable lifts in web traffic on sports radio air days across a wide range of categories, including financial services (+105%), home improvement (+42%), grocery (+22%), and automotive (+10%).
Overall, the report reframes sports fandom as a continuous conversation rather than a three-hour game window. Audacy concludes that audio -- through radio, streaming, and podcasts -- anchors that conversation before, during, and after games, offering marketers sustained attention in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
