There is something visceral about the crack of a bat through a radio speaker. It’s summer. It’s 90 degrees. You’re stuck in traffic on I-90 or maybe just sitting on a porch in Wrigleyville with a lukewarm Old Style. You need the score. But more than that, you need the rhythm of the game. Finding a chicago cubs live radio broadcast used to be simple—you just turned a dial to 720 AM and waited for the static to clear. Now? It’s a labyrinth of digital rights, blackout zones, and streaming subscriptions that feel designed to annoy you.
Honestly, the transition from the legendary WGN days to the current broadcast landscape has been a bit of a bumpy ride for the old-school North Side faithful. We grew up with Pat Hughes and Ron Santo (and later Ron Coomer), and that voice in your ear is as much a part of the team as the ivy on the walls. If you’re trying to figure out where to tune in right now, you have to navigate the difference between terrestrial airwaves and the digital "blackout" walls that MLB loves to build around its product.
The Flagship: 670 The Score
The heartbeat of the Cubs radio network is 670 The Score (WSCR-AM). They’ve been the flagship station for a while now, taking over the mantle that WGN held for decades. If you are physically located within the Chicagoland area—basically if you can see the Willis Tower or you’re within a reasonable driving distance of Cook County—this is your primary destination.
It's free. It’s reliable.
But there is a catch that trips people up every single year. You can’t always just open a random radio app on your phone and expect it to work. Because of MLB’s strict territorial rights, stations like 670 The Score are often forced to "black out" the live game stream on their digital platforms if you aren't using their specific authorized tools. If you try to stream the game through a generic radio aggregator while you're sitting in a suburb, you might hear a talk show or a repeat segment instead of the first pitch. It's frustrating. You’ve probably shouted at your phone because of it.
Why the Internet Makes Radio Complicated
Let’s talk about the Audacy app. Since Audacy owns 670 The Score, they have the primary digital rights to the chicago cubs live radio feed for local fans. If you’re in the market, you can usually stream the game for free through the Audacy app. It uses your phone’s GPS to verify that you are actually a local. If your location services are turned off, or if you’re using a VPN that makes you look like you’re in Des Moines, you’re going to get blocked.
- Download the app.
- Grant location permissions (yes, it’s annoying).
- Search for 670 The Score.
That is the most direct path for locals. However, once you cross that invisible line into "Out of Market" territory, the rules change entirely.
The MLB At Bat Option
If you live in Phoenix, or maybe you’re a transplant in Florida, or you’re just traveling for work, the local 670 AM signal isn't going to reach you. This is where MLB At Bat comes in. For a few bucks a month—or a flat yearly fee that usually costs less than a decent dinner at a ballpark—you get every single Cubs radio broadcast with zero blackouts.
This is arguably the best "bang for your buck" in sports media. Unlike the TV packages (MLB.tv) which are notorious for blacking out your local team, the radio package has no such restrictions. You can listen to Pat Hughes describe a walk-off homer while you're standing in the middle of Times Square if you want to. The audio quality is crisp, and it usually includes the pre-game and post-game shows, which are essential for hearing the "Coomer’s Corner" segments or the manager’s press conference.
The Magic of Pat Hughes
We can't talk about the radio broadcast without acknowledging the man behind the mic. Pat Hughes is a Hall of Famer for a reason. His voice is the sound of Chicago summer. He has this incredible ability to make a boring 8-2 blowout in the 7th inning sound like a gripping drama. His partnership with Ron Coomer has found a great balance—Pat provides the poetic, play-by-play precision, and "Coom" brings the player’s perspective and a dry sense of humor.
When you’re listening to chicago cubs live radio, you aren't just getting the stats. You're getting the "scorecard" updates. You're getting the descriptions of the uniforms. Pat's "Way back! Wall! Gone!" call is something fans wait for like a favorite song on the radio.
Technical Hurdles and How to Fix Them
Sometimes the stream just dies. Or it buffers. Or it's thirty seconds behind the actual action, which is the worst because your friend might text you "OMG" before you even hear the pitch cross the plate.
If your stream is lagging, try these quick fixes:
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- Refresh the cache: If you're using a browser, clear your cookies for the MLB or Audacy site.
- Check the "Live" toggle: Sometimes digital streams pause themselves and you end up listening to a delay. Make sure the "Live" indicator is lit up.
- The Sync Problem: If you’re trying to watch the TV broadcast on mute and listen to the radio (because let’s be honest, the radio guys are often better), the delay will drive you crazy. There are apps like "Sycron" or certain browser extensions that allow you to delay the radio audio by a few seconds to match the TV lag. It takes some fiddling, but it’s worth it.
The Affiliate Network
Not everyone lives in the city. The Chicago Cubs Radio Network is actually massive. It stretches across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and parts of Wisconsin. Stations like KREB in Iowa or WRPW in Central Illinois carry the games.
The weird thing about these affiliates? Sometimes they have the rights to broadcast over the air (AM/FM) but not the rights to stream that same broadcast on their website. This leads to a lot of confusion. A fan in Peoria might tune their physical radio to the local affiliate and hear the game perfectly, but if they go to that station's website on a laptop, they’ll hear a syndicated talk show. Always keep a cheap battery-operated radio in your garage. It’s the only way to bypass the "digital rights" nonsense entirely.
What Most People Get Wrong
A common misconception is that you can just find a "free" stream on YouTube or Twitch. MLB is incredibly aggressive about taking these down. You might find a stream that works for three innings, and then suddenly—poof—it’s gone, replaced by a copyright strike notice. Don't waste your time. The official channels are either free (locally) or very cheap (nationally).
Another thing: SiriusXM. Yes, they carry the Cubs. But keep in mind that they often alternate between the "Home" and "Away" broadcasts. If you want the specific Chicago flavor—the Pat Hughes experience—you have to make sure you select the Cubs' specific channel on the SiriusXM app or satellite receiver. Otherwise, you might end up listening to the opponent's announcers, and nobody wants that when the Cubs are at Wrigley.
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Actionable Steps for the Best Listening Experience
To make sure you never miss a pitch, set yourself up before the season starts. Technology changes fast, but the core ways to listen remain fairly consistent.
- For the Local Fan: Download the Audacy app and ensure your location permissions are on. Bookmark 670 The Score. Keep an actual AM radio in your car as a backup; the signal is surprisingly strong across the flat Midwest landscape.
- For the Out-of-State Fan: Skip the sketchy websites. Buy the MLB At Bat audio subscription. It’s roughly $30 for the entire year. It works on your phone, your desktop, and through smart speakers like Alexa (just say "Play the Chicago Cubs game").
- For the Tech-Savvy Fan: Invest in a pair of high-quality noise-canceling headphones. The ambient noise of a bus or a crowded office can drown out the nuance of a radio broadcast. The beauty of radio is the "theatre of the mind," and you need to hear the crowd noise to really feel like you're in the bleachers.
- Check the Schedule: Remember that day games at Wrigley are still a thing. Friday 1:20 PM starts are classic. If you're working, having the chicago cubs live radio feed running in one earbud is a time-honored Chicago tradition.
The landscape of sports media is shifting toward expensive streaming platforms and "Plus" subscriptions, but radio remains the most accessible way to follow the Cubs. Whether it's a cold April afternoon or a pennant race in September, the connection between the announcer and the listener is something that a TV broadcast can't quite replicate. Get your setup ready, check your signal, and get ready for another season of "Cubs win! Cubs win!"
Next Steps for Cubs Fans:
To ensure you're ready for the next game, verify your location settings on the Audacy app today or check your MLB account status. If you prefer the old-school route, scan your local AM dial during a scheduled game time to identify which affiliate reaches your home or office with the clearest signal. Make sure your hardware—whether it's a smartphone or a handheld transistor—has a full charge before the 1:20 PM first pitch.