Westwood One says its NFL audio broadcasts continue to deliver significant reach and engagement for advertisers, according to new research highlighted in the company’s 2026 NFL Listening Report.
The report, featured in this week’s Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group blog by Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard, draws on studies from Quantilope, MRI-Simmons and Nielsen to examine audience behavior and advertising effectiveness across the network’s NFL coverage. According to the report, Westwood One’s NFL play-by-play broadcasts reach 64 million unique listeners over the course of a season, with new audiences tuning in throughout both the regular season and playoffs. The network enters its 40th consecutive season as the NFL’s exclusive network audio partner and will air every primetime regular-season game, along with the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI.
The research found that NFL audio listeners are more engaged with sports than television viewers, making them more attentive to advertising. The audience also skews younger, employed and more affluent, with greater spending power than the average consumer. The report also found that 86% of listeners are reached away from home, primarily in vehicles, placing them closer to purchase opportunities. Westwood One said combining NFL audio with television advertising can extend campaign reach, with nearly one-quarter of NFL fans listening exclusively to audio broadcasts during the 2025 season.
Additional findings show Westwood One’s NFL audience is more likely to use artificial intelligence tools, participate in fantasy football and engage in sports betting than the average NFL fan, further reflecting a highly active and connected audience. The report recommends advertisers run campaigns over at least 16 weeks and schedule multiple commercials per game to maximize audience reach throughout the NFL season. Read the entire blog post here.
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