You're stuck in traffic. The game starts in five minutes. You scramble to the dial, but you realize you actually have no idea what the radio station for ESPN is in this specific city. It’s frustrating. We’ve all been there, frantically scanning the AM band while some local host talks about high school volleyball when you’re just trying to hear if the Lakers covered the spread.
The truth is, there isn't just one "ESPN frequency." It’s a massive network of over 500 affiliate stations across the United States. While ESPN Radio is a national brand owned by Disney, it operates through a patchwork of local partnerships. Sometimes it’s 1000 AM; sometimes it’s 98.7 FM. Sometimes, you’re stuck with a signal that cuts out the moment you drive under a bridge.
How to Find Your Local ESPN Radio Frequency Right Now
If you are looking for the quick answer, the most reliable way to find your local spot is the ESPN Radio Affiliate Map. But honestly, nobody wants to navigate a clunky website while driving. Most major markets have "flagship" stations that have carried the brand for decades. In New York, it’s 98.7 FM (though that's changing soon due to a massive lease shift). In Los Angeles, you’re looking for 710 AM. Chicago is almost always 1000 AM.
Smaller towns are trickier. Because ESPN sells its programming in blocks, a local station might carry The Pat McAfee Show in the afternoon but switch to local high school football on Friday nights. It’s a bit of a moving target. If you’re using a modern car with HD Radio, you can often find ESPN tucked away on a sub-channel like 105.1-HD2. It sounds way better than the crackly AM feed, but it’s easy to miss if you aren't looking for it.
The Shift from AM to FM
For a long time, sports talk was the king of the AM dial. It made sense. AM signals travel further, especially at night, which is why you could sometimes hear a clear broadcast from three states away. But listeners got tired of the static.
The industry has moved aggressively toward FM. Why? Because people want to hear the thud of a football hit and the squeak of sneakers in high definition. If you’re searching for what is the radio station for ESPN in a new city, always check the 90.0 to 105.0 FM range first. Most big-market affiliates have made the jump. Even if the primary station is still AM, they usually have an "FM translator"—a smaller FM signal that mirrors the big AM one.
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SiriusXM and the National Feed
If you’re a long-haul trucker or someone who does a lot of interstate driving, chasing local signals is a nightmare. You find the station, listen for twenty minutes, and then it fades into white noise as you cross the county line. This is where satellite radio wins.
On SiriusXM, ESPN Radio is consistently found on Channel 80.
It’s the pure, unadulterated national feed. You get Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty, and Michelle in the mornings, followed by the rotating cast of midday shows. The beauty here is consistency. You don't have to worry about a local affiliate cutting away to talk about a local tractor pull or a specific college team you don't care about. You get the national headlines.
However, there is a catch. Channel 80 is the national talk feed. If you want a specific live game—like a Sunday Night Baseball broadcast or a CFP playoff game—you might have to hunt through the 80s and 100s. SiriusXM usually assigns live play-by-play to specific team channels or temporary overflow stations.
Why Your Local Station Might Not Be "ESPN" Anymore
There is a weird thing happening in sports media. You might tune into your "ESPN station" and suddenly hear a guy talking about a "betting line" every three seconds. That’s because several major stations have flipped their affiliation to ESPN BET or even rival networks like Fox Sports Radio or Infinity Sports Network (formerly CBS Sports Radio).
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The branding gets blurry. A station might call itself "104.5 The Zone" and play ESPN content 80% of the time, but they won't use the ESPN name in their primary logo. They’re affiliates, not O&Os (Owned and Operated). This is an important distinction.
The Digital Loophole
Look, if you have a smartphone and a decent data plan, searching for a physical radio frequency is kinda becoming a legacy move. The ESPN App is surprisingly robust. It has a "Live Radio" tab that uses your GPS to find the closest affiliate.
Or, you can just use the TuneIn app.
TuneIn has a deal with ESPN that carries almost every major market affiliate. If you’re in a dead zone where the AM signal is weak, streaming the station via Bluetooth is the way to go. Just be aware that digital streams are usually 30 to 60 seconds behind the "live" broadcast. If you’re watching the game on TV with the sound muted and trying to listen to the radio commentary, the delay will drive you crazy.
The Most Famous ESPN Radio Frequencies
If you find yourself in these cities, don't bother searching. These are the heavy hitters:
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- New York City: 98.7 FM (though keep an eye on the upcoming frequency changes as they pivot toward digital-only strategies).
- Los Angeles: 710 AM (KSPN).
- Chicago: 1000 AM (WMVP).
- Dallas: 103.3 FM.
These stations are the backbone of the network. They produce local content that often gets elevated to the national level. If you're in a city not on this list, the easiest trick is to open your map app and search "ESPN Radio." Most of the time, the local station's office will pop up with their frequency right in the title.
Practical Steps for the Sports Fan on the Move
Don't wait until you're behind the wheel to figure this out. Radio signals are fickle. They change based on the weather, the time of day, and even the tall buildings in downtown areas.
If you want the best experience, start by checking your car's HD Radio settings. Most people don't even realize they have it. If your car is from 2018 or newer, it probably does. Look for the "HD" logo next to the station name. If you see it, toggle through the sub-channels. You’ll often find a crystal-clear ESPN feed hiding on HD2 or HD3 that sounds better than anything on the standard dial.
Second, if you’re a die-hard for a specific show—like The Lowe Post or Greeny—subscribe to the podcast versions. Radio is great for live games, but for the talk shows, the podcast feed is better because they edit out the local traffic reports and the annoying commercials for local personal injury lawyers.
Finally, if you’re really stuck, just ask your phone. "Hey Siri/Google, play ESPN Radio." It will almost always default to the national feed on TuneIn or iHeartRadio. It’s the easiest way to bypass the "what frequency is it?" headache entirely.
The landscape of sports radio is shifting. Physical towers are becoming less important than "reach." But for those of us who still love the ritual of hitting a button on the dashboard and hearing the iconic ESPN "da-da-da, da-da-da" jingle, those frequencies still matter. Just keep in mind that the station you listened to last year might have moved across the dial this year.
Next Steps for Staying Connected:
To ensure you never lose the signal, download the ESPN App and sign in with your TV provider credentials; this often unlocks extra audio feeds that aren't available to the general public. If you're frequently in areas with poor cell service, consider a SiriusXM subscription, which remains the only foolproof way to keep ESPN Radio playing across state lines without interruption. Finally, check your local station’s website to see if they have a dedicated app, as these often provide higher-quality audio than the national aggregators.