In the biggest year in sports, audio is a smart play

With the World Cup, the Winter Olympics, the World Baseball Classic, and the perennial professional league cycles, 2026 will have—and is already having—*quite* the year in sports. But Audacy shares that even as sports moments multiply, fan attention can fragment. Viewing is scattered across networks, streamers, and social feeds. And while TV still delivers magical moments, audio has become something of a daily home for the biggest—and most avid—fans.

New data from Audacy suggests sports audio drives measurable performance across categories often assumed to “need a screen.” And that’s because of attention: More engaged fans drive stronger results. Analysis of Audacy sports radio campaigns found that significant web traffic rises on on-air days vs. off-air days, including +105% for financial services, +42% for home improvement, and +22% for grocery. As sports marketers face rising rights costs, increasing fragmentation, and pressure to prove ROI, sports audio can quietly—or not so quietly—outperform screens by delivering sustained attention in moments that matter.

It’s all covered in Audacy’s State of Audio: Sports Fandom. Read on to learn how marketers can meet this moment—and this momentum.