The news: Seventy-eight percent of sports audio listeners take action after hearing an ad on a sports radio show or podcast, per a new study from SiriusXM Media, GroupM, and Edison Research. Fifty-five percent have purchased a product or service based on these ads.

Other key findings from the study:

• 66% of the US population identify as sports fans, presenting a massive opportunity for advertisers to tap into an engaged audience. Of this group, 15% identify as “die-hard” fans, 20% identify as “enthusiastic” fans, and 31% identify as “casual” spectators.
• Digital audio is increasingly popular among sports fans, with sports listeners spending an average of 6.5 hours daily engaging with audio.
• Sports fans are particularly receptive to brands that partner with athletes. Sixty-seven percent of fans state they like hearing or seeing their favorite athlete in advertisements; 81% of sports podcast listeners agree.
• 52% of Gen Z and 57% of millennials closely follow the personal lives of their favorite athletes beyond sports.

Zooming out: The findings align with an ongoing trend of companies investing in sports to reach key audiences.

• Competition to cash in on sports is increasing among popular social platforms. Meta recently struck a multi-year partnership with UFC, and as sports discussions gain traction on Threads, the platform’s competition with X is intensifying.
• To combat this, X recently launched an NBA Portal, which provides a curated feed of NBA-related accounts, live scores, places to watch games live, and new opportunities to engage with likeminded fans, per Front Office Sports.
• Brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics are engaging with female sports fans, partnering with the National Women’s Soccer League to strengthen connections with younger female audiences—essential as 57% of US women over 13 identify themselves as sports fans, per “The Sports Audio Report: Female Fans.”

Our take: As live sports viewers and digital audio listeners continue a path of steady growth, advertisers need to tap into sports opportunities to meet audiences where they are.

• Advertisers can leverage sports fans’ high audio consumption by creating audio-focused campaigns to reach sports fans during their hours of daily listening. Valuing sports radio and podcasts as effective marketing channels is critical.
• Brands should invest in sport-specific audio ad campaigns and consider partnerships with popular sports personalities to reach audiences who are invested in the lives of their favorite athletes.