You’re sitting in traffic on the BQE, the Rangers game is about to start, and you instinctively hit the preset for 98.7 FM. Static. Or maybe some contemporary jazz. It hits you then—the signal is gone. This is the new reality for New York sports fans trying to find an ESPN New York listen live option. The station famously pulled the plug on its FM signal in late 2024, a move that felt like a betrayal to some and an inevitability to others.
If you’re looking to hear Michael Kay rant about the Yankees or want the latest Jets misery from DiPietro and Rothenberg, you can't just rely on the old-school dial anymore. You have to go digital. It's honestly a bit of a hassle at first, but once you get the setup right, the audio quality is actually better.
Where Did the Signal Go?
The move away from 98.7 FM wasn't a sudden whim. Good Karma Brands, which operates the station, decided that the eye-watering cost of leasing that FM frequency from Emmis Communications—reportedly around $12.5 million a year—just didn't make sense in an era where everyone has a smartphone glued to their palm. They bet the house on digital.
So, where do you go?
The most direct way to get an ESPN New York listen live feed is through the ESPN New York App. It’s free. It’s buggy sometimes, sure, but it’s the primary home for the stream. If you’re at a desk, the station's official website has a persistent player at the top of the page. You click play, endure a 30-second pre-roll ad about a local personal injury lawyer, and you're in.
The Best Ways to Stream Right Now
Digital-only doesn't mean you're stuck with just one app. In fact, the ecosystem is pretty wide.
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The App Strategy
Most fans stick to the ESPN New York App because it hosts the local podcasts and "best of" clips too. But if that app crashes—and it does—the TuneIn app is the reliable backup. It’s been the backbone of internet radio for a decade. You search "ESPN New York," and it pulls the 1050 AM feed or the digital-only stream.
Smart Speakers
"Alexa, play ESPN New York."
"Hey Google, play 1050 AM."
It usually works. Most of these devices pull from the iHeartRadio or TuneIn API. If it struggles to find the local New York feed and starts playing ESPN Radio national (which is mostly Mike Greenberg talking about the Cowboys), you need to be specific. Tell it to "Play ESPN New York on TuneIn."
The 1050 AM Factor
Don't forget the "blowtorch." While the FM signal is dead, ESPN New York still lives on 1050 AM (WEPN). It’s an old-school, crackly signal that somehow manages to reach from the tip of Montauk to the deep reaches of Jersey. If you’re in a dead zone for 5G, the AM dial is your best friend. It’s gritty. It sounds like 1985. It’s perfect for baseball.
Why People Still Tune In
You’d think with the rise of a million sports podcasts, local radio would be dead. It’s not. There is something about the "live-ness" of New York sports talk that a pre-recorded podcast can’t touch. When the Knicks lose a heartbreaker at the Garden, you don't want to wait for a 45-minute analytical breakdown the next morning. You want to hear some guy named "Vinny from Queens" screaming into his phone at 11:30 PM.
The Michael Kay Show remains the flagship. Whether you love him or think he’s a "company man," his chemistry with Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg is the soundtrack of the afternoon commute. Don’s legendary rants—like the infamous "Edina" jersey slip-up or his meltdowns over the Giants' offensive line—are things you have to hear live to appreciate.
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Navigating the Blackouts
Here is a nuance that trips up a lot of people: the digital stream isn't always a 1:1 mirror of the airwaves.
When it comes to live play-by-play, things get murky. Due to insanely complex territorial rights and "Geofencing," you might find that the ESPN New York listen live stream is playing a generic national talk show instead of the actual Knicks or Rangers game.
- The App Rule: Usually, if you are within the New York market, the ESPN New York App will have the game.
- The League Rule: If you are outside the local area, the stream will often cut to national programming. To hear the game, you'd need a league-specific subscription like NBA League Pass or NHL Power Play.
- The AM Loophole: The 1050 AM signal almost always carries the game, regardless of digital rights. If the stream is blocked, grab a physical radio.
Improving Your Listening Experience
If you're streaming in your car via Bluetooth, you've probably noticed a delay. It’s usually about 30 to 60 seconds behind the actual live action. This is the "spoiler" gap. If you’re watching the game on TV with the sound muted while listening to the radio call, the radio will be way behind. There isn't a great fix for this other than using an actual AM/FM tuner.
For those at home, high-fidelity speakers make a massive difference. Transitioning from FM to a 128kbps digital stream actually offers better dynamic range. You can hear the ambient noise of the studio. You can hear the producer, Tease, laughing in the background. It feels more intimate.
Actionable Steps for New Listeners
If you are just now figuring out how to navigate the post-FM landscape, here is your checklist to ensure you never miss a minute of the action.
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First, delete any old 98.7 FM bookmarks. They are useless now. Replace them with a direct link to the ESPN New York 1050 WEPN stream.
Second, download the dedicated ESPN New York app, but don't rely on it as your only source. Install TuneIn or Audacy as a secondary option. Sometimes one stream will lag while the other is crisp.
Third, if you’re a heavy car listener, check your data plan. A two-hour commute while streaming high-quality audio can eat up a surprising amount of data over a month. Most apps allow you to "Lower Stream Quality" in the settings—do this if you're on a budget plan; sports talk doesn't exactly need Dolby Atmos to be effective.
Finally, for the true die-hards, invest in a small, portable AM radio. Digital infrastructure fails. Cell towers get congested at stadiums. A battery-operated radio tuned to 1050 AM is the only 100% foolproof way to ensure you have the game in your ear when it matters most.
The transition to digital has been rocky for the station's ratings, but the accessibility is technically higher than ever. You just have to know which icon to tap. As the landscape of New York media continues to shift, staying connected to the local conversation requires a bit more tech-savviness, but the payoff is the same: the pulse of the city's sports scene, delivered right to your speakers.