Nielsen, Edison Data Highlight Surge In Sports Radio Performance.

Sports‑formatted AM/FM radio stations are experiencing a period of sustained growth, with new data showing increases in station counts, revenue shares, streaming dominance, and advertiser appeal. Industry analyses from Nielsen, Edison Research, MRI‑Simmons, and Quantilope point to a format that is expanding its footprint and attracting an audience that is younger, more upscale, and more engaged than the average AM/FM radio listener.

A compilation of the recent studies were the focus of this week’s Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group’s blog.

Over the last decade, the number of sports‑formatted AM/FM radio stations has risen 14%, according to industry tracking. During the same period, Miller Kaplan revenue shares surged 38%, signaling strong advertiser demand and a widening commercial base. The format now reaches one of six American men, underscoring its broad national presence.

Nielsen’s most recent data shows sports AM/FM radio leading the industry in streaming performance. The format ranks number one in streaming shares among adults 18‑34 and 25‑54, far outpacing its overall AM/FM radio share. Among adults 18‑34, the sports format posts a 3.7 overall share, but its streaming share jumps to 13.9%, nearly quadrupling its audience. For adults 25‑54, the overall 5.1% share climbs to a 14.2% streaming share, almost tripling its reach. Even among listeners 35 and older, the format’s 5.4% overall share doubles to an 11.4% streaming share.

Sports AM/FM radio also dominates total sports audio consumption. Edison Research’s “Share of Ear” study finds that 61% of all U.S. sports audio time spent occurs on AM/FM radio, compared to 27% for podcasts and 12% for SiriusXM. Listening is spread throughout the day, with midday accounting for 33%, followed by morning drive at 29% and afternoon drive at 24%. Ten percent of listening occurs at night and five percent overnight.

The car remains the primary location for over‑the‑air sports AM/FM radio listening. Nielsen reports that 57% of such listening happens in vehicles, compared to 39% at home and 3% at work or other locations. When streaming is included, listening is evenly split between home and car at 47% each.

National play‑by‑play broadcasts have also seen significant audience growth. Over the last decade, Nielsen reports that Westwood One’s NFL prime‑time national broadcasts have grown 26%. The network’s NCAA March Madness coverage reaches 20 million Americans, according to Nielsen studies.

Advertisers are increasingly turning to sports AM/FM radio due to its highly attentive and sports‑engaged audience. According to MRI‑Simmons, Westwood One’s NCAA basketball AM/FM radio audience is “far more sports passionate across nine measures of sports engagement” compared to college basketball TV viewers. The same pattern holds for the NFL, where the AM/FM radio audience is “much more sports engaged” than NFL TV viewers. This heightened engagement also correlates with “exceptional levels of sports betting,” according to the analysis.

The sports AM/FM radio audience is also more affluent. Ranked third in household income among 24 AM/FM radio formats, the sports format has seen incomes grow 17% since 2020. Compared to sports TV audiences, sports AM/FM radio listeners are more likely to be employed, college‑educated, married, and upscale. Westwood One’s NCAA March Madness listeners skew younger, more affluent, more likely to be employed, and more likely to have children than the TV audience.

Across major consumer categories, the sports AM/FM radio audience shows elevated purchase intent. Listeners are 24% more likely than the U.S. average to spend $1,000 on auto repair and maintenance and are frequent auto‑parts shoppers. They are 6% more likely to be in the market for a new vehicle and 7% more likely to lease a car. They also over‑index across financial services, travel, hotel brands, airlines, cruises, and major credit cards.

For a video summary of the findings, click HERE.