March Madness on Radio Boasts Higher Engagement Than TV

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, January 8, 2024

Cumulus Media and Westwood One

While the NFL post season is just beginning, marketers are looking ahead to March Madness. A series of new studies reveal while NCAA March Madness games are available both on TV and AM/FM radio, each broadcast has a very different audience profile. This week's Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog outlines the findings from the 2024 NCAA Basketball Listening Report.

• MARU/Matchbox: Compared to NCAA March Madness TV viewers, AM/FM radio listeners are far more engaged

• As NCAA March Madness AM/FM radio listeners are more engaged, they are more likely to be sports bettors

• AM/FM radio's increased sports engagement means greater advertising effectiveness and impact

• MRI-Simmons: NCAA March Madness AM/FM radio listeners are more likely to influence other consumers, extending commercial impact beyond the game

• Nielsen Scarborough: The NCAA March Madness AM/FM radio audience is younger and more likely to be employed and have kids in bigger households versus the NCAA March Madness TV audience

• MRI-Simmons: NCAA March Madness AM/FM radio audiences deliver consumers who are in the market across key consumer categories

• Nielsen: NCAA March Madness AM/FM radio audiences surge with significant incremental reach

• One-third of March Madness fans are reached via Westwood One's audio coverage; Among 18-34s, Westwood One's broadcasts beat TV in reach