You're stuck in Gridlock on I-495. The rain is starting to smear across the windshield, and all you want to know is why the Commanders just traded away a third-round pick for a backup tight end. You reach for the dial. You don't want a national podcast recorded three days ago in a basement in Los Angeles. You want the local heat. That is exactly why 980 the team listen live remains a ritual for anyone living within shouting distance of the Beltway. It isn't just radio; it’s a shared therapy session for a fan base that has seen more rebuilds than the Wilson Bridge.
The station, officially WTEM, is the OG of the format. It was the first all-sports station in Washington, D.C., and honestly, it basically invented the way we argue about sports in this town. While other stations have come and gone, or changed formats to Top 40, 980 has mostly stuck to its guns. It’s been owned by different people—including a stint where Dan Snyder himself held the keys—but the core mission hasn't shifted. It’s about the Burgundy and Gold. It's about the Wizards' eternal struggle for a .500 record. It's about the Nats.
The Best Ways to Access the Stream Right Now
Technology has changed, but the urgency hasn't. If you are looking to 980 the team listen live, you aren't limited to that fuzzy AM signal that cuts out whenever you drive under a concrete overpass. Most people have migrated to the Audacy app. It’s the official home for the station’s digital broadcast. You download it, search for "The Team 980," and you're in. The delay is usually about 30 seconds behind the actual live airtime, which is something to keep in mind if you're trying to sync it up with a muted TV broadcast.
Don't want another app on your phone? Fair enough. You can just go straight to the website. Most browsers handle the stream just fine without any extra plug-ins. If you're a smart speaker person, you just tell Alexa or Google to "Play The Team Nine-Eighty on Audacy." It’s seamless. Usually. Sometimes the geo-fencing gets weird if you're traveling outside the DMV, but for the most part, it’s the easiest way to keep your pulse on the local scene while you're sitting on a beach in the Carolinas.
Why Local Radio Beats National Every Single Time
National guys like Colin Cowherd or Dan Patrick are great, sure. But they don't care about the backup offensive guard situation for the Commanders. They don't know the specific pain of the RFK Stadium days versus the FedEx Field (now Northwest Stadium) era. When you 980 the team listen live, you get hosts who actually live in the neighborhoods you do. They eat at the same spots. They feel the same humidity.
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Take a guy like Kevin Sheehan. He's been a staple for years. Whether you agree with his takes or not, the man knows the history of D.C. sports like the back of his hand. He can cite a random play from a 1994 preseason game against the Browns and explain how it connects to the current coaching philosophy. That kind of institutional memory is rare. You can't fake that with a script. It’s the kind of deep-dive analysis that makes local radio feel like a conversation at a bar rather than a lecture.
The station has seen a lot of turnover lately, though. That’s just the nature of the beast in 2026. Personalities jump to podcasts or move to rival stations like 106.7 The Fan. But WTEM has a weirdly loyal following. There’s a certain grit to an AM station that FM just doesn't have. It feels more "sports."
Dealing With the Noise: Signal vs. Stream
Let’s be real. The AM 980 signal is... temperamental. If you're in a parking garage, forget it. If there's a thunderstorm, it’s static city. This is why the digital push has been so aggressive. When people search for a way to 980 the team listen live, they are usually looking for the crystal-clear digital feed.
- The Audacy App: High bit-rate, stable, but consumes data.
- The Website Stream: Good for office workers hiding a tab from their boss.
- Smart Speakers: Best for weekend chores in the garage.
- The AM Dial: For the purists and the desperate.
There’s a nuance to the listening experience that people overlook. Radio is one of the few mediums that doesn't demand your full visual attention. You can be painting a room, filing taxes, or scrolling through Twitter while the commentary washes over you. It provides a soundtrack to the mundane. And in D.C., where the news cycle is exhausting and the traffic is soul-crushing, having a familiar voice talking about a 2-2 count in the bottom of the fifth is actually kinda soothing.
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The Commanders Factor
Let's not kid ourselves. The primary reason people tune in—and the reason the search traffic for 980 the team listen live spikes every Sunday—is the Washington Commanders. This station was the longtime home of the team’s broadcasts. Even when the official rights move around, the "after-action" reports and the pre-game hype are centered here.
When Josh Harris took over the team from Snyder, the vibe on 980 changed overnight. There was a literal sigh of relief on the airwaves. The hosts didn't have to walk on eggshells anymore. They could actually criticize the front office without fearing for their jobs. That honesty is what listeners crave. If the team sucks, the listeners want to hear the hosts say they suck. If there’s hope, they want to analyze every single draft pick until their ears bleed.
Navigating the Daily Lineup
The lineup isn't static. It shifts. But generally, you’re looking at a morning show that focuses on the big headlines, followed by midday slots that get more into the weeds of specific games. The afternoon drive is usually the "heavy hitter" slot. This is where the biggest personalities land. This is the slot where the most heated arguments happen.
If you're a new listener, don't expect a polished, corporate TV vibe. Expect people talking over each other occasionally. Expect a caller from Prince George's County to go on a three-minute rant about the "Hogs." That’s the charm. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s D.C.
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Practical Steps for the Best Listening Experience
If you want to get the most out of your stream, stop relying on the browser tab that you keep accidentally closing. Download a dedicated aggregator or the station's primary app. Set a shortcut on your phone's home screen.
- Check your data settings. If you’re streaming for four hours a day on high quality, it will eat your data plan. Most apps allow you to toggle the stream quality.
- Use a Bluetooth bridge. If you have an older car with a great sound system but no CarPlay, get a $20 Bluetooth-to-FM transmitter. Stream the high-quality digital feed from your phone to the car’s speakers. It sounds ten times better than the actual 980 AM signal.
- Time your calls. If you want to get on air, listen for the "reset" after a commercial break. That’s usually when the producers are clearing the lines and looking for fresh voices.
- Follow the hosts on X (formerly Twitter). Often, the conversation continues there during commercial breaks. It adds a second-screen experience to the audio.
Radio isn't dying; it's just changing clothes. Whether you call it WTEM, The Team 980, or just "the game," the need for local, unfiltered sports talk is higher than ever. In a world of AI-generated articles and national talking heads who can't point to Landover on a map, hearing a real human being get angry about a missed field goal is a beautiful thing.
Actionable Insight: To ensure you never miss a kickoff or a breaking news segment, set your Audacy app notifications to "Live Alerts" for WTEM. Most people ignore these, but for a station like 980, they actually ping you when a major press conference starts or when the team makes a surprise roster move. This cuts through the noise of your social media feed and gets you straight to the source.
Technical Tip: If the stream keeps buffering on your phone, try disabling Wi-Fi if you are moving between buildings. Phones often struggle to "hand off" the signal from a weak Wi-Fi network to a strong 5G signal, causing the audio to drop exactly when the host is about to drop a "truth bomb." Stick to a solid 5G connection for an uninterrupted experience.