Audacy: Sports Radio Is How Brands Win With Fans.

Calling sports fans “some of the most loyal, engaged consumers out there,” a new article from Kevin Greenwald, Audacy’s Senior Vice President, Advertising & Audience Products, says the emotional connection forged between fans and sports radio is a winner for advertisers.

“What’s new is that advertisers can now easily see, with hard data, exactly how that passion translates into business results,” Greenwald writes. “Thanks to advanced attribution tools and unmatched creative flexibility, sports radio is proving its spot as a full-funnel performance channel. The data is clear: advertisers who invest in radio are winning big.”

The article cites the adventure of an online sportsbook, which saw radio’s power throughout the funnel — including a 16-point lift in awareness and a 26% lift in intent to create an account.

Another leading sportsbook recently embarked on a 13-week campaign on Audacy’s sports stations and saw “just how far radio performance can take a brand.”

“By using Claritas’ new pixel-based and geo-tracking for broadcast radio, the brand was able to see how its sports radio campaign drove incredibly strong lower-funnel performance,” Greenwald explains. “The sportsbook achieved its goal of driving new customer app installs: It brought in 26,000 new customers at nearly 3x lower cost per conversion than budgeted. Until now, granular performance metrics like these weren’t available to radio advertisers.”

For the client, it wasn’t just about the campaign: the Audacy/Claritas tool also provided strategic insights, including the identification of markets, stations and creative messaging that inspired the best conversion.

The client launched more than 2,000 unique creative variations through the fast-paced campaign, each tailored to specific games, matchups, and local markets. This approach enabled the sportsbook to stay relevant by aligning its messaging with the biggest sporting events of the day, boosting engagement. The campaign exploited radio’s unmatched flexibility and real-time adaptability.

The sportsbook client also leveraged performance data from host-read and pre-recorded spots across numerous markets to identify which ads — and which voices — most effectively motivated listeners. Unsurprisingly, host-read ads delivered a strong lift, reinforcing the power of trusted personalities to move audiences. By combining the authenticity of host reads with the reach of pre-recorded spots, the client achieved both meaningful engagement and the scale they were aiming for.

“The introduction of purchase and conversion measurement insights for broadcast radio has been a game changer for advertisers looking to drive lower-funnel performance,” Greenwald writes. “And as this innovation continues, simpler data access will become more readily available. Claritas and Audacy are already automating performance delivery so clients and agencies can get weekly snapshots for quicker refinements.”

Auto and QSR brands are also winning big. “For national restaurant chains, sports radio delivers repeat exposure, tying brands to gameday rituals like a pregame drive-thru run or a postgame meal with friends,” Greenwald writes. “Recently, when a fast-food chain activated live host reads, promotions and quick-turn creative across multiple markets, the campaign boosted in-store visits by +8%.”

Sports radio has always delivered passionate audiences, but it’s now about much more than that: It delivers proof of performance — conversion measurement that rivals digital, creative flexibility, and host-driven influence that inspires action and brand lift across the funnel.

Sports radio is rooted in the daily rituals of being a fan: tuning in during the morning commute, rehashing last night’s game with local hosts, or rallying with fellow fans before kickoff.

“When advertisers show up in these moments, they aren’t interrupting the experience, they’re becoming part of the culture that unites communities,” Greenwald writes. “That’s why sports radio doesn’t just deliver reach; it delivers relevance. And now, with the proper tools to measure every play, it’s clear: Investing in sports radio isn’t just smart media strategy. It’s how brands win with fans.”