Sports/talk radio was a big beneficiary of the run up to the Super Bowl, according to findings from an Arbitron custom sports study that profiles how adults age 18+ in Boston and New York listened to and watched Super Bowl XLII on radio and television.
Below, the findings issued by Arbitron.
Radio benefits from the run up to the game
- Half of the adults in Boston and 29% of New Yorkers said they listened to sports/talk radio in the week before the game.
- Time spent listening was up the week, prior with one-third of New York adults and more than half (56%) of Boston adults listening “a lot more.”
- People are less likely to switch radio stations while listening to the game: 52% of New Yorkers and Bostonians were less likely to switch stations while listening to the Super Bowl than they are when they are listening to something else
- Local radio time spent listening increased for 56% of Bostonians and one-third of New Yorkers leading up to the NFL classic.
On the radio
- Radio reaped its greatest benefit from the pre-game and post-game coverage of the Super Bowl.
- Most of Super Bowl radio listening was done out of home: 49% of Bostonians and 45% of New Yorkers who listened to the radio on the day of the Super Bowl listened in a car or truck.
- Some 9% of Boston adults and 8% of New York adults listened to pre-game, game or post-game coverage on the radio.
Watching the big game in and out of home
- Some 87% of Boston adults and 76% of New York adults watched some part of the pre-game, game and post-game coverage on television, with 80% of Bostonians and 74% of New Yorkers paying close attention to the commercials.
- Super Bowl parties are a staple of game day: 46% of Bostonians and 40% of New Yorkers hosted or attended Super Bowl parties.
- 31% of New York adults watched the Super Bowl outside their own home; 69% of the out-of-home viewing was at a friend’s or family member’s home, and 23% was in a bar or restaurant.
- 30% of Boston adults watched the Super Bowl outside their own home; 92% of Boston’s out-of-home viewing was at a friend’s or family member’s home, and 4% was in a bar or restaurant.
About the data: Arbitron conducted a telephone-based study on Monday, February 4, asking follow-up questions about the Super Bowl. The calls were placed in the New York and Boston Arbitron-defined metro areas. In New York there were 200 completed surveys and in Boston there were 201 completed surveys. All demos are based upon Persons 18+.
