Summer 2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting calendars in years. The FIFA World Cup. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The Rugby League World Cup. Wimbledon. The Ashes.

If your brand wants to be part of the conversation, you need to be where the fans already are. And right now, millions of them are listening to the radio – ready for a summer of sport.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

• Bauer listeners are a sports-loving audience. Over 10.4 million of them follow football, cricket, rugby, golf or tennis and they are 18% more likely to do so than the national average.
• This summer, 7.4 million Bauer listeners are likely to follow the FIFA World Cup 2026, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, or the Rugby League World Cup. That is 40% of our entire audience, and they are 19% more likely than the national average to tune in.

These are not passive fans. They pay for tickets. They place bets. They watch live. They engage. And they could be your next customer.

 

The World Cup Opportunity

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the headline event of the summer and Bauer listeners are ready for it.

• 10.6 million of them intend to watch, making up 58% of our entire audience. They are 7% more likely than the national average to do so.

If you want to reach a football-engaged audience at scale, this is your window. Check out how Aston Villa Womens did exactly that with audioXi, Bauer Medias digital audio advertising platform. 
How audioXi Boosted Aston Villa Women’s Ticket Sales

A Sport for Every Brand

The Summer of Sport reaches fans across every major discipline. Here is what the Bauer audience looks like sport by sport:

Football

• 8.2 million listeners follow football, 17% more likely than the national average
• 4.5 million place bets on football, 30% more likely than average
• 2.8 million have paid to attend a match in the last 12 months, 45% more likely than average

Golf

• 2.3 million listeners play golf, 76% more likely than the national average
• 482,000 have taken a golfing holiday in the last 12 months, 108% more likely than average
• 1.7 million follow the sport on TV, radio or online

Tennis

• 2.6 million listeners follow tennis, 23% more likely than the national average
• 1.8 million have attended Wimbledon or another UK tennis tournament in the last 12 months, 98% more likely than average
• Bauer listeners are 31% more likely than the national average to have listened to tennis on the radio

Cricket

• 2.3 million listeners follow cricket, 22% more likely than the national average
• 2.3 million play the sport themselves, 85% more likely than average
• 5.8 million Bauer listeners agree that women’s cricket is just as exciting as men’s

Rugby

• 2.4 million listeners follow rugby union and 1.1 million follow rugby league
• 2 million play rugby themselves, 87% more likely than the national average

 

Hundreds of thousands attend live matches each season

Whatever your audience, the summer sporting calendar gives you a way in.

 

Why Radio Works This Summer

Sport and radio go hand in hand. Fans listen on the way to games. They catch commentary during commutes. They have the radio on in the background while following live scores.

Radio reaches your audience when they are genuinely switched on and engaged, not scrolling past your ad on a screen.

With the Hits Radio Network and Bauer Media’s national and regional stations accessible via audioXi, you can put your brand in front of millions of sports fans at exactly the right moment. And with digital audio advertising available alongside broadcast, your campaign can follow listeners across every platform they use.

 

Who Should Be Advertising This Summer?

If your business is connected to sport in any way, local radio advertising this summer could be your most effective campaign of the year.

• Clubs and associations selling match day tickets have a captive audience right on their doorstep. Bauer’s regional stations let you reach fans in your city or county, driving footfall to grounds that might otherwise rely on word of mouth.
• Stadium tours and visitor experiences thrive during the summer months when families and tourists are looking for things to do. Radio puts you in front of a locally engaged audience who are already excited about sport and looking for ways to get closer to it.
• Sports merchandise retailers, whether you sell replica kits, equipment or fan gear — have a short but significant window to capture demand as tournaments build. Frequency matters here. Radio’s ability to repeat your message throughout the day keeps your brand front of mind when fans are ready to buy.
• Golf clubs, tennis clubs and leisure memberships are perfectly placed to capitalise on the Wimbledon and Open season. When millions of listeners are watching the sport on TV and following it online, the motivation to pick up a racket or book a tee time spikes. A timely local radio campaign can convert that interest into new members.
• Sports betting and gaming operators can reach an audience that is already primed. Bauer listeners are significantly more likely than the national average to bet on football, golf, tennis and cricket and summer gives you wall-to-wall content to align your messaging with.
• Pubs, bars and hospitality venues showing live matches have a real opportunity to drive bookings and walk-ins. A short, punchy radio ad telling local fans where to watch the game can fill seats fast.

The common thread? These are all businesses that benefit from reaching a local, engaged, sport-interested audience at exactly the right moment. That is what local radio does better than almost any other medium.

 

Build Your Summer of Sport Campaign Now

The Summer of Sport will not wait. Campaigns that launch early will own the conversation before your competitors get started. Whether you want to reach football fans ahead of the World Cup, tennis followers during Wimbledon, or a broader sports audience across the whole summer, we can build a campaign that delivers real results.

Get a quick radio advertising quote today.

Speak with our team to explore what a Summer of Sport campaign could look like for your business.

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