Arbitron: Run up to Super Bowl boosted Sports radio in Boston, NYC

Arbitron released findings from a custom sports study that profiles how adults aged 18 and older in Boston and New York listened to and watched Super Bowl XLII on radio and television. Two-thirds of Bostonians and 51% of New Yorkers follow the media coverage of the Super Bowl in the week leading up to the game.

Sports/talk radio was a big beneficiary of the run up to the game. Half of the adults in Boston and 29% of New Yorkers said that they listened to sports/talk radio in the week before the game. Time spent listening was up the week prior with a 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.

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.

9% of Boston adults and 8% of New York adults listened to pre-game, game or post-game coverage on the radio.