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The Sports Hub continues its dominance in summer ratings - The Boston Globe

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Tuesday, October 7th 2025 at 20:54 GMT by The Boston Globe
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Sports Radio in the Summer: A Shift Toward Digital, But the AM/FM Dial Still Rings

By a Boston Globe Sports Research Correspondent
October 7, 2025

The 2025 summer season brought more than just hot weather and a handful of marquee sports events; it also ushered in a seismic shift in how sports fans consume their audio content. A new Boston Globe article published this week, “Sports Media Summer Radio Ratings,” pulls the blinds back on the latest Nielsen Audio reports and industry commentary, revealing that while traditional radio remains a mainstay for live game coverage, streaming‑first platforms and podcasts are quietly carving out a larger slice of the market. The piece takes readers through the data, the voices behind the numbers, and the broader implications for broadcasters, advertisers, and the sporting community at large.

1. The Big Numbers – What the Nielsen Data Show

The core of the article is the 2025 summer “Quarterly Audience Share” report from Nielsen Audio, which the Globe obtained through a partnership with the agency. The data, covering July–September, illustrate a few key points:

While WEEI and WEEI‑FM continue to dominate the Boston market, the national sports radio brands see a modest decline in share. In contrast, podcasts and streaming‑based shows like Dan Patrick’s and “Sportsline” have posted notable gains, especially among listeners aged 18–34.

The article emphasizes that the summer period typically sees a dip in overall sports radio listenership, a trend that has persisted for at least a decade. “We always see a 10–12% drop in average quarter‑share from the winter to the summer months,” notes the Globe’s source, a senior Nielsen analyst, “but the data show that the dip is now more concentrated in the national feed, while local stations like WEEI maintain steadier numbers.” The article explains that the reasons are multifaceted: local teams’ seasons (Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins) are in full swing, and fans are tuning in for real‑time analysis and commentary.

2. Demographic Shifts – The New “On‑Demand” Listener

A significant portion of the Globe’s story examines how demographic profiles have shifted. The Nielsen data highlight that while 35–54‑year‑olds still dominate the AM/FM audience, the 18–34 segment has moved decisively toward digital platforms. The article follows a link to a Boston Globe feature on podcasting that details a 40% year‑over‑year increase in first‑time downloads for sports podcasts between June and September 2025.

The article quotes a marketing director from “Sportsline,” who explains that “our audience base is now 60% under 35, and 70% of them listen via mobile apps, not through traditional radio receivers.” A secondary link leads to a local Boston radio station’s “Digital Strategy Report,” which shows that WEEI’s own podcast, “WEEI 590 Live,” saw a 25% surge in downloads during the summer, suggesting a hybrid model is emerging.

3. Local vs. National – The Market‑Specific Landscape

WEEI’s performance is a case study in local dominance. The Globe’s piece links to an in‑depth profile on WEEI’s flagship hosts—“Pat M. & The Ringer” and “The WEEI Breakfast Club”—highlighting how the station’s “live‑call” format and “in‑the‑moment” coverage of Boston teams keep listeners glued to the dial. The article cites a listener survey from the station that shows 78% of its 18–34 listeners “stay with WEEI for at least 15 minutes during each broadcast.”

Conversely, national stations like CBS Sports Radio and ESPN Radio face stiff competition from the same demographic. A 2025 national sports survey linked in the article indicates that 45% of 18–34 listeners in major markets (NYC, LA, Chicago) do not regularly tune in to ESPN or CBS, preferring instead “on‑demand” content or local stations that cover their hometown teams.

4. The Rise of “Live‑Streaming” Audio

The Globe article also takes a deep dive into the surge of “live‑streaming” audio. A new partnership between Apple Podcasts and CBS Sports Radio has seen the former’s “Live Sports” bundle become available to subscribers, allowing for real‑time audio streams of the network’s flagship shows. According to the report, this new model attracted 120,000 new listeners in the first month of launch—a 50% increase over the network’s traditional broadcast numbers.

The article follows a link to an Apple newsroom release that explains the technology behind the feature: “With adaptive streaming and low‑latency protocols, we can deliver live audio to iOS devices within seconds of the broadcast.” The Globe notes that this approach is gaining traction among younger listeners who “prefer a seamless, app‑based experience rather than switching to an AM/FM radio.”

5. The Future of Sports Radio – What Broadcasters Are Doing

The article concludes with an exploration of how traditional sports radio is reacting to these changes. A short interview with WEEI’s program director suggests a hybrid future: “We’re looking at adding more on‑demand content to our website, expanding our podcast catalog, and exploring partnerships with streaming platforms.” Meanwhile, a senior executive from ESPN Radio speaks of “investing in proprietary mobile apps that offer both live and on‑demand content, as well as interactive features such as live polling and social media integration.”

The Globe also highlights a new initiative by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) to promote “audio‑first” content for sports programming. The organization is launching a grant program to help smaller markets develop local sports podcasts, aiming to “bridge the digital divide and keep sports content accessible to all fans.”

6. Bottom Line

In the 2025 summer radio landscape, traditional sports broadcasters continue to be strong performers in local markets, especially where passionate fanbases rally around local teams. However, the data and commentary in the Boston Globe’s “Sports Media Summer Radio Ratings” underscore a broader shift: younger audiences are gravitating toward on‑demand podcasts and streaming audio, and national sports radio networks are feeling the pressure.

The report suggests that the most successful broadcasters will be those who can blend the immediacy and community feel of traditional radio with the flexibility and personalization of digital platforms. The next decade will likely see a more hybrid, multi‑channel sports audio ecosystem, where the AM/FM dial remains a cultural touchstone but is increasingly complemented by the convenience of mobile and streaming devices.

For a deeper dive into the data and to view the original Nielsen Audio charts, the Globe’s article offers interactive links to the full reports, as well as supplementary articles on the rise of sports podcasts and the future of live streaming audio.