Sports Play-By-Play Audio Elevates The Media Plan

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, April 4, 2022

Westwood One

Whether looking at the NFL, the Masters, or March Madness, sports play-by-play audio elevates the media plan. This week's Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog outlines how sports play-by-play audio offers advertisers a passionate audience of fans and sports betters, plus incremental reach and amplified frequency to sports TV campaigns.

• Of all media platforms, AM/FM radio leads in attentiveness: AM/FM radio ads are stickier than ads on free online streaming services like Pandora and Spotify and generate the lowest levels of ad skipping.

• Sports format AM/FM radio stations generate the highest levels of consumer attention.

• Sports fans who consume via audio are more passionate than those who watch on TV, according to GfK MRI.

• Compared to sports fans watching on TV, the sports audio play-by-play audience is younger and more upscale.

• Sports play-by-play audio delivers massive reach for advertisers: According to a major Nielsen study of Portable People Meter data of national NFL games that air on Westwood One, reach builds throughout the season.

• Sports play-by-play audio adds significant incremental reach and amplified frequency to media plans: According to a cross-media analysis conducted by Nielsen, putting ads in sports play-by-play audio reaches consumers who are difficult to reach on TV.

• The sports betting audience is educated, affluent, employed and have children: According to a recent MARU/Matchbox analysis, those who are very or somewhat interested in sports betting are more likely to be employed, have graduated college, and have children.

• Online sports bettors are more likely to be heavy AM/FM radio listeners: Those who are very or somewhat interested are also more likely to be heavy AM/FM radio listeners (40%) versus heavy TV viewers (30%).

• Auto parts manufacturer NCAA basketball Nielsen case study: Sports play-by-play audio drove improved brand recognition, boosted brand images, and elevated the entire media plan.

• Mobile app NFL Nielsen case study: Sports play-by-play audio boosted brand and purchase metrics.

• Major motorcycle brand NCAA basketball and NFL Nielsen case study: Presence in the sports play-by-play programming elevated ad recall, drove website interest, and boosted purchase intent.