You’re stuck on the 405. It’s 5:30 PM. The brake lights in front of you look like a bleeding river, and your GPS just added twelve minutes to your ETA for no reason at all. In that specific, grueling moment of Los Angeles life, there is a very high probability you reach for the dial and tune into AM 710 ESPN Radio. It isn't just a frequency. For a lot of us, it’s the only thing keeping the road rage at bay while we wait to hear if the Lakers are actually going to make a move before the trade deadline.
Radio was supposed to die a decade ago. People said podcasts would kill it, then Spotify, then TikTok. Yet, KSPN—the official call sign for 710 AM—stays remarkably stubborn. It survives because Southern California sports culture is tribal, and this station is the digital campfire where those tribes meet. Whether it’s the high-energy chaos of Mason & Ireland or the biting commentary during the morning rush, the station serves as the primary nervous system for the Dodgers, Lakers, and Rams faithful.
The Power of the Flagship: Why Teams Cling to 710 AM
There is a massive difference between a station that talks about sports and a station that owns the sports. AM 710 ESPN Radio holds the crown because it’s the flagship home for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Rams. Think about that for a second. When LeBron James hits a fadeaway in the fourth quarter, the voice you hear describing the arc of the ball is coming through this specific signal.
Being a flagship station isn't just about broadcasting the games; it’s about the "all-access" pass it grants the listeners. You get the post-game locker room interviews that other stations have to scrape for. You get the coach’s show. You get the immediate, visceral reaction from fans calling in from a parking lot at SoFi Stadium while they're still buzzing from a win. This proximity to the teams creates a level of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) that a generic national sports broadcast simply can't touch.
John Ireland and Steve Mason have been together for over 25 years. That’s longer than most marriages. Their chemistry isn't something you can manufacture with a script or an AI voice generator. It’s built on decades of bickering about movie tropes, food takes, and, occasionally, the Lakers' defensive rotations. When you listen to them, you aren't just getting scores. You're getting a slice of LA culture. It’s that human element—the unpredictable, messy, often hilarious banter—that makes the station move the needle.
Navigating the Signal: How to Listen in 2026
Let’s be real: AM signals can be finicky. You drive under a bridge or near some high-tension power lines and suddenly it sounds like you’re listening to a broadcast from the bottom of a swimming pool. But AM 710 ESPN Radio has been smart about its digital pivot. Honestly, most people I know don't even use a physical radio anymore.
✨ Don't miss: Why Cumberland Valley Boys Basketball Dominates the Mid-Penn (and What’s Next)
- You’ve got the ESPN LA app, which is surprisingly stable these days.
- There’s the Twitch stream, where you can actually watch the hosts argue in real-time.
- Smart speakers have basically become the new "kitchen radio."
- Podcasts of the individual segments drop almost immediately after they air.
If you’re trying to catch the games, though, be aware of the "blackout" rules. Because of broadcasting rights, sometimes the digital stream on your phone won't play the actual play-by-play of a Lakers game if you're outside the geographic zone. In those cases, you’ve gotta go old school—pull out the actual radio or use the official NBA/NFL apps. It’s a bit of a headache, but that’s the reality of sports licensing in the modern age.
The Local vs. National Tug-of-War
One of the biggest criticisms of AM 710 ESPN Radio over the years has been the balance between local LA talk and national ESPN programming. For a while, the station leaned heavily on the national feed—think Mike Greenberg or the various iterations of national morning shows. But LA fans are notoriously provincial. We don't want to hear twenty minutes about the New York Jets’ quarterback drama when the Dodgers just signed a Japanese phenom to a record-breaking contract.
The station shifted. They realized that their value is in being hyper-local. This is why the afternoon block is so heavily protected. People in Southern California want to hear about the "Lakers Tax" and whether the Chargers can ever truly win over the city. They want hosts who live in the same zip codes and deal with the same traffic.
Interestingly, the station has also had to compete with AM 570 LA Sports, the home of the Dodgers. This rivalry is great for the listener. It forces AM 710 ESPN Radio to stay sharp. If they get lazy with their takes or their guests, fans just hit a button and switch to the competition. This "radio war" keeps the quality high and the insider info flowing.
What People Get Wrong About Sports Radio Fans
There’s this stereotype that sports radio is just for "angry callers" named Mike from Riverside who want to fire every coach after one loss. Sure, those guys exist. They’re part of the fabric. But the audience for AM 710 ESPN Radio is actually way more diverse. You’ve got data-driven analysts, younger fans who watch via YouTube or Twitch, and professionals who use the station as their primary news source during their commute.
🔗 Read more: What Channel is Champions League on: Where to Watch Every Game in 2026
The station has adapted by bringing in voices like Sedano and Kap, who bridge the gap between "old school" radio vibes and modern, social-media-savvy sports talk. They talk about betting lines, which was a huge taboo ten years ago but is now a cornerstone of the broadcast. They talk about the lifestyle of the athletes, the fashion, and the business side of the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena, though many 710 listeners still refuse to call it that).
Actionable Steps for the Ultimate Listening Experience
If you want to get the most out of AM 710 ESPN Radio, don't just passively listen while you're driving. There are better ways to engage with the content and the community.
1. Use the "Rewind" Feature on the App
If you missed a big interview with a GM or a coach, the ESPN LA app usually lets you scrub back through the live feed. It’s way better than waiting for the podcast to upload if you’re looking for immediate info.
2. Follow the "Circle of Trust"
The station has a very dedicated fan base that interacts on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit. If you want the "inside jokes" that Mason & Ireland use constantly, following their social feeds is essential. It turns a one-way broadcast into a two-way conversation.
3. Attend the Live Remotes
The station frequently does live broadcasts from bars, casinos, or near the stadiums. These "remotes" are where you can actually meet the hosts. It sounds cheesy, but the ESPN LA community is actually pretty welcoming. They do an annual "Mandys" award show that is basically a giant party for the listeners.
💡 You might also like: Eastern Conference Finals 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
4. Check the Multi-Platform Schedule
Don't assume your favorite host is on the air just because it’s their time slot. Between live sports preemptions (like early afternoon baseball) and holiday schedules, it’s worth checking their digital schedule online.
5. Leverage the Twitch Feed for Visuals
Sometimes the hosts are reacting to a video or a specific play that you can't see over the air. Keeping the Twitch stream open on a second monitor or your phone provides a much richer context than audio alone.
At the end of the day, AM 710 ESPN Radio succeeds because it understands one fundamental truth: sports in Los Angeles are a shared experience. In a city that can feel disconnected and sprawling, having a single frequency where everyone is arguing about the same shooting guard or the same fourth-down call makes the place feel a little bit smaller and a lot more like home. Whether you're a die-hard or a casual listener, the station remains the definitive soundtrack to the high-stakes, high-drama world of Southern California athletics.
Next Steps for Listeners:
To stay ahead of the curve, download the ESPN LA app and set notifications for "Breaking News." This ensures you get the jump on roster moves before they hit the national cycle. Additionally, if you're a podcast listener, subscribe to the Mason & Ireland feed specifically; it's the gold standard for daily LA sports context and remains the most consistent way to stay "in the loop" with the city's sports pulse.