Football fans didn’t just watch the NFL during the first Sunday of the league’s calendar. They listened — in their cars, on their commutes, tuned to local radio, according to data from Xperi.
What We Know: DTS AutoStage Broadcaster Portal tracked connected-car data from flagship stations covering 12 NFL teams on September 13, 2026. Overall Sunday audience share jumped 60% on average. Pre-game listening rose 111% heading into kickoff, and post-game audiences grew 152% as fans stayed tuned for highlights and reactions. Local markets outpaced the average: Buffalo’s flagship station saw a 265% share increase, with audience growth near 400% before kickoff.
What The Data Shows: The data itself makes the case: game-day radio listening rises sharply before, during, and after kickoff. Nashville tuned in for the Tennessee Titans week one debut, increasing their average Sunday share by 102%. Listening jumped 160% heading into the game and by 215% for the post-game analysis. In Phoenix, Arizona Cardinals fans remained glued to their dashboards, generating a 78% lift in their average Sunday share.
What Remains Unclear: The data doesn’t specify how these single-week gains compare to prior NFL seasons.
What It Means: Live football remains a powerful draw for AM/FM radio, especially in the car. As streaming options multiply, local broadcasters can still count on game day to boost reach. For advertisers, that pre- and post-game window looks increasingly valuable, since listeners aren’t leaving once the final whistle blows.
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