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From the thundering cheer of the crowd in the stands to the little ping from an app that updates scores, the sounds of game day are a thrilling part of the experience for sports fans. With the rise of smart speakers, podcasts, and streaming platforms, consumers are engaging with sports audio content more than ever before. This creates new ways for brands to connect with their audiences.
Statistics are a big part of sports, so here are a couple of eye-openers from a recent study: Nearly 70% of the US population considers themselves sports fans. And 78% of listeners take action after hearing an ad on a sports podcast or radio show.
Sports audio advertising has found a unique niche, tapping into the passionate and highly engaged fan base of sports listeners. By leveraging real-time game data, fan preferences, and live broadcasts, sports audio ads offer a highly interactive and relevant way to engage listeners. These ads are an ideal tool for brands looking to connect with a dedicated and active audience. Let's take a deep dive into the ways that sports audio advertising can be the perfect avenue to reach the right people — the ones who are most likely to become customers.
More Than Just a Game
Americans are deeply engaged with sports in an emotional way.
According to a survey by Edison Research, SiriusXM Media and GroupM:
- 66% of respondents said that following a sports team or athlete gives them a sense of community.
- 68% said following sports is a way to keep family ties strong
- 64% said following sports is a way to connect with other people in general.
These motivations extend to Sports Audio, too. 58% of sports audio listeners consume sports audio to be a part of a community of fans, and 56% to do it feel more connected with friends, family, and colleagues. Clearly it's not just about winning or losing — it's about the culture and connections made along the way.
With the rise of streaming platforms, podcasts, and digital radio, sports content has become more accessible than ever before. Fans can now listen to live game commentary, expert analysis, diverse perspectives, and behind-the-scenes insights anytime, anywhere. And they're craving more and more each year.
The market for sports audio is much broader than ever, too. It includes fantasy league participants, sports betting fans, multicultural audiences, women and Gen Z social media enthusiasts.
Digital audio also allows for more personalized experiences, as listeners can choose from a variety of content tailored to specific sports, teams and or athletes. Additionally, digital audio is easily leveraged to reach global audiences, offering localized broadcasts and multilingual commentary to cater to diverse fan bases. As a result, digital audio provides an immersive and dynamic way to experience sports beyond the traditional television broadcast.
Why You Should be Using Sports Audio Advertising
With AudioGO, your ads can target and reach listeners through iHeart, Cumulus Media, TuneIn, Audacy and other premium publishers, podcasters and radio stations who stream a ton of local sports radio stations and national stations like ESPN radio as well. Here’s a list you could place ads on across our sports network:
- Yahoo Sports
- Locked On Sports Podcasts
- Blue Wire
- Barstool Sports
- Fantasy Footballers
- Audacy
- TuneIn
- Cumulus Media
- iHeart Radio
The listeners you reach through sports audio advertising make up highly invested, motivated and diverse groups.
Sports Fans Are Emotionally Invested
Grab the tissues! Nearly 25% of sports fans said in the Edison/Sirius survey that they've cried because of the outcome of a sporting event they watched or listened to. When you're highly invested in the real-time outcomes, it's easy for emotions to run high. That being said, advertisers, particularly sports brands, know that emotion is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to marketing.
Sports Fans Are Ready to Spend
Sports audio listeners are more involved in fantasy sports and online sports gambling (42% of SiriusXM Sports listeners). Not only that, 55% said that after hearing an advertisement on a sports podcast or sports audio program, they've purchased a product. Sports audio listeners spend a significant amount of money on sports merchandise, too: $262 on sports/team/athlete memorabilia or merchandise each year.
Speaking of fans that spend, AudioGO Pixel can track user actions and conversions on your website. That way, you can know exactly what's working.
Sports Fans Are Highly Receptive to Hearing Their Favorite Athletes
67% of surveyed sports fans said they like seeing or hearing their favorite athlete in advertisements. 67% of sports audio listeners said they trust products and services used by athletes they like or follow. That means ads featuring athletes reach a more receptive audience from sports audio listeners.
Sports Fans Are Diverse and Social
Sports audio advertising is a uniquely powerful targeting opportunity. It allows advertisers to target and reach listeners based on their specific fan interests, team affiliations, and sports preferences. Through data-driven platforms, ads can be tailored to match the listener's favorite teams, leagues, or even specific sporting events, making it a highly personalized and relevant experience.
Sports audio isn’t just for reaching hard-core fans. Approximately 186M Americans identify as sports fans, accounting for 66% of the total US population. When it comes to the biggest moments — like the SuperBowl, Olympics, or World Series — there are broader audiences to explore, and other demographics to tap into. Like the aunt who's just in it for the buffalo chicken dip or the coworker who just moved to a new city.
The Real Fanatics Prefer Audio
We haven't yet addressed why sports audio advertising is a better option than sports video advertising. Why would an audio ad be more effective than a video ad on YouTube or a social media platform? The answer is pretty simple: the fans that tune into digital audio, whether that's podcasts, AM/FM radio, or SiriusXM Media, are more die-hard. The people who are tuning into digital audio for their sports media are the fans who just can't get enough.
According to Edison Research, podcast listeners:
- Were the fans with the most money spent on merch.
- Were more likely to buy a product endorsed by their favorite player.
- Had the most income to spend.
Imagining Sports Audio Advertising in Action
Let's imagine a scenario where sports audio advertising works with expert precision.
Danny, a truck driver and lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, is eagerly anticipating the NFC Championship game. He's been listening to his favorite Eagles podcast all week, where former players and local commentators discuss the team’s chances and interview players. As game day draws near, Danny connects his AirPlay to the truck for his usual pre-game ritual — tuning into the latest episode of his favorite podcast, " Talk, Eagles, Talk." (Eagles fans, don't get too excited. It's not a real show. Maybe you should start a podcast called "Talk, Eagles, Talk," though?)
Danny hears the familiar voice of the podcast host, former wide receiver Terrell Owens. He was talking about a product he’d been working with: a premium sports drink, Alpha, designed to fuel athletes and keep fans hydrated during the big game. “I’ve been using this myself after workouts. My son told me about it. He always drinks Alpha on game days,” Owens said. The ad felt natural, as if Terrell was sharing a personal recommendation, not just reading a script. This was a perfect example of leveraging sports personalities to add authenticity and boost credibility.
Danny sees a sign for a gas station and notes that he’s scheduled for a pit stop, so he takes the exit. When he checks out the refrigerated section for something to drink, he skips the diet cola and goes right for a lemon-lime Alpha.
Work with the MVP of Sports Audio Advertising
AudioGO partners with six professional leagues: the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, and NASCAR. With us as your teammate, you can tap into our broad network of content, including the SiriusXM Sports Podcast Collection, which is home to over 300 sports podcasts, including the Locked On Sports Network. Advertisers can access everyone from San Francisco 49ers fans to Miami Hurricanes boosters to Real Madrid followers.
AudioGO also has a range of targeting capabilities, making it simple to reach fans based on a variety of demographics, habits, and preferences. Worried about the budget? AudioGO includes dynamic pricing, which allows advertisers to optimize ad spend, securing the most relevant audience impressions at the lowest price. With minimums as low as $250, you won't find a more affordable solution in sports advertising. Not to mention, if you don't have an audio ad to get started, it'll run you only $10 to have one recorded by our team of real, professional voice actors. Or, for $0, you can opt for a synthetic voiceover for your ad.
And if you're wondering how to score big in this new era of sports fandom, check out this report from SiriusXM Media in partnership with ADWEEK. It gives a closer look at the diverse and dynamic listeners shaping today's audience of sports fans, and insights on how and where listeners engage most with audio content and sports marketing. With a play-by-play guide to reaching today’s sports fans with audio, and a teammate like AudioGO, you're all set to start making those goals.
