Buffalo ranks as the U.S. market with the most avid NFL fans, leading Audacy Insight’s new NFL Attention Index with a score of 135, ahead of New Orleans at 120 and Cincinnati at 119.
Nearly one-quarter of highly engaged NFL fans spend at least six hours a week on sports content beyond watching games, including 15% who spend six to 10 hours and 7% who spend 11 hours or more. Forty-seven percent follow news about their favorite teams at least weekly. On game days, 43% watch pre- or post-game television or streaming programming, 24% follow social media at the same time, 14% use a second screen or multiple screens, and 16% tailgate.
Engagement continues away from games: 41% follow athletes or influencers on social media, 61% say they enjoy having “inside knowledge,” and 41% bet on sports at least monthly. Sixty-nine percent said being a fan makes them feel part of a community, and 61% said their love of sports is a major part of who they are.
Audacy said audio draws a particularly high concentration of avid sports fans because it offers discussion and analysis on days when games are not played. Citing Nielsen Commspoint analysis, the company said radio advertising among NFL “super fans” was linked to a 56% impact on awareness, 49% on consideration, 51% on purchase and 41% on loyalty. Radio moved those fans through each stage of the purchase funnel more effectively than advertising on television, Facebook, YouTube and connected TV.
The findings, Audacy said, show advertisers can reach highly engaged audiences through NFL-related content throughout the week, not only during games.