NFL Opening Sunday produced a substantial listening surge for the radio stations carrying local team coverage, according to connected-car data released by Xperi.

The company examined listening at 12 National Football League team flagship stations on Sunday, September 13. Across those stations, average Sunday listening share rose 60 percent compared with the preceding weeks. The strongest increases came around the games: pregame listening climbed 111 percent, while postgame listening increased 152 percent.

Buffalo produced the largest reported jump, with its flagship station increasing 265 percent.

THE LOCAL RADIO ADVANTAGE

The figures illustrate why live sports remain one of radio’s most defensible products. A game broadcast is only part of the package. Local pregame analysis, familiar announcers, immediate reaction, call-in shows and postgame coverage extend listening well beyond kickoff and the final whistle.

That local layer is difficult for a national streaming service to duplicate. It also creates multiple opportunities for stations to sell sponsorships, integrate advertisers and build daily habits around a team.

The postgame result is especially important. A 152 percent increase suggests that many listeners stay with radio after the game for reaction and analysis that television and highlight clips may not provide as quickly or as locally.

WHAT THE DATA DOES—AND DOES NOT—SHOW

Xperi’s findings come from vehicles equipped with its DTS AutoStage platform. The figures should not be described as a complete measurement of every driver, every vehicle or all radio listening. They reflect connected-car activity observed within the company’s system.

The analysis also comes from a technology company with a business interest in demonstrating the value of broadcast radio inside modern dashboards. Independent measurement would help determine how closely the pattern tracks the broader market.

Even with those qualifications, the direction is clear: when stations offer exclusive, timely and locally relevant coverage, drivers seek it out.

The next question is whether stations can turn those game-day spikes into lasting audience relationships. That requires promoting weekday programming during the broadcast, capturing listeners through station applications and newsletters, and giving fans a reason to return when there is no game.

Source: https://xperi.com/blog/radio-listenership-surges-for-nfls-opening-sunday-and-for-post-game-coverage/