What Radio Station Are the Chicago Bears On?

AvatarByMatthew Yates Radio Broadcasting & Stations

ESPN 1000 (AM 1000 and 100.3 FM HD2) is the flagship station for Chicago Bears games. But radio rights and game assignments can change by season, preseason versus regular season, and location, so confirm the listing for the specific game before kickoff.

Use this quick guide to distinguish the current flagship listing from affiliate listings.

Listening situation Station or channel When it applies
Chicago-area flagship 100.3 FM WTMX Bears Radio Network listings
Bears vs. Dolphins, 2025 preseason ESPN 1000: AM 1000 or 100.3 FM HD2 A game-specific Bears local feed, not a permanent assignment for every game
Bears vs. Dolphins, 2025 preseason on satellite SiriusXM channel 225 The Bears home feed for that particular game
Peoria-area affiliate WMBD: 1470 AM and 100.3 FM Affiliate coverage in that market

What Bears Radio Listings Mean

A Bears radio broadcast is the team’s home call: the announcers, pregame coverage, play-by-play, color analysis, and postgame programming produced for Bears fans. The Chicago flagship is the primary local outlet, while affiliates carry that feed in other Illinois and Midwest markets.

Before tuning, verify the station, channel, and game assignment for the exact opponent and date. Match your receiver to the listed station and channel. If a listing says “HD2,” you need an HD Radio-capable receiver to hear that subchannel over the air.

Preseason games can also have a different distribution arrangement from regular-season or playoff games. That is why you may see ESPN 1000 in one game listing and a different Chicago flagship in another.

How to Listen to a Bears Game on Radio

Step 1: Identify the Game and the Feed You Want

  1. Check the opponent, date, and kickoff time.
  2. Decide whether Bears announcers are important to you.
  3. Start with the current flagship listing. If you live elsewhere, look for a Bears Radio Network affiliate serving your area.
  4. For satellite radio, choose the Bears home feed rather than the opponent or national feed when you want Bears announcers.

This matters most for road games, nationally televised games, and preseason games, when several audio options may appear in a radio or streaming guide.

Step 2: Tune the Chicago-Area Broadcast

  1. Use the current flagship listing: 100.3 FM WTMX.
  2. Listen for the station’s Bears pregame or game broadcast rather than its usual music or talk programming.
  3. If the station does not have the game at the expected time, do not assume the frequency is wrong immediately. Identify whether the game is preseason, national, or rescheduled.
  4. If you are using a vehicle radio, a portable radio, or a home receiver, try repositioning the antenna or radio before changing stations if the signal is weak.

A physical AM/FM radio is often the simplest option.

Step 3: Use the Correct Type of Receiver

  1. Use the receiver that matches the listing.
  2. Use an HD Radio receiver for an HD2 listing. Select the HD2 subchannel on the receiver.
  3. If your receiver cannot receive the listed signal clearly, check for a nearby Bears affiliate or use a satellite service that offers the team feed.
  4. Once the broadcast begins, confirm that it matches the scheduled game.

This check helps you confirm that you have the intended game broadcast.

Chicago-Area and Affiliate Stations

Why Older Listings May Name ESPN 1000

ESPN 1000 has carried Bears broadcasts, including the Bears-Dolphins preseason game in 2025. For that game, the Bears local feed was available on AM 1000 and 100.3 FM HD2.

That does not mean every reference to “100.3” is the same broadcast. The ESPN option was specifically an HD2 channel, while the current Chicago-area flagship listing uses WTMX’s standard FM frequency. Check whether a listing says FM, HD2, AM, or a station’s call letters before tuning.

Listening Through a Regional Affiliate

If you are outside the local area, check a regional affiliate. In Peoria, WMBD carries Bears games on 1470 AM and 100.3 FM.

Affiliate coverage reaches parts of Illinois and other states. However, affiliate station schedules can still change for conflicts, weather coverage, or game-specific network arrangements.

Satellite, Apps, and Station Streams

SiriusXM is useful when you are traveling, outside Bears Radio Network range, or unable to receive a local station. Its NFL coverage can offer home-team, away-team, national, and sometimes Spanish-language feeds.

For the 2025 preseason game against Miami, the Bears feed was on SiriusXM channel 225. Treat that as a game-specific channel assignment, not a permanent Chicago Bears channel; SiriusXM changes NFL channel placements by matchup.

A local affiliate may carry the broadcast on its AM or FM signal but block it from its website player, mobile app, Alexa, or Google smart speaker because the game feed is not included in its streaming rights.

If an app opens the station’s usual programming instead of the game, switch to an over-the-air radio, another listed affiliate, or the current SiriusXM game feed.

How to Confirm Today’s Bears Radio Station

Use this short check before you settle in:

  • Find broadcast information for the exact opponent and date.
  • Confirm whether the listing is for the preseason, regular season, or playoffs.
  • Look for the broadcast type: AM, FM, FM HD2, satellite, or local affiliate.
  • Check the local station’s schedule if you are using an affiliate outside Chicago.
  • If using SiriusXM, search the matchup in the radio guide and select the Bears home feed.
  • Turn on the broadcast shortly before kickoff and verify the teams, announcers, and game location.

Do not rely on a search result that gives only a station name without a date. A listing may be accurate for a past season or a single preseason game but wrong for today’s matchup.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Listen to Chicago Bears Radio Live Today?

To listen to Chicago Bears radio live today, verify the exact opponent and date, then tune to the current Chicago-area flagship, 100.3 FM WTMX, or a Bears Radio Network affiliate in your area. If you use SiriusXM, open the current matchup listing and select the Bears home feed. A standard radio signal is often more reliable than a station’s web stream for live game audio.

Is ESPN Radio on AM or FM?

For the Bears-Dolphins preseason game in 2025, ESPN 1000 was available on AM 1000 and 100.3 FM HD2. The AM option works on an ordinary AM radio, while the FM HD2 option requires an HD Radio receiver. ESPN 1000’s Bears arrangement for that game should not be assumed to apply to every Bears broadcast.

Can I Listen to the Bears Game on a Station App or Smart Speaker?

Sometimes, but not always. NFL game audio may be removed from a station’s online stream even when the station carries the game over AM or FM. If the app or smart speaker plays regular programming during the game, use a physical radio, another listed affiliate, or SiriusXM.

Which SiriusXM Channel Has the Bears Broadcast?

SiriusXM channel 225 carried the Bears home feed for the 2025 preseason game against the Dolphins. SiriusXM assigns channels by game, so open the current matchup listing before kickoff and select the Bears home broadcast.

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Matthew Yates

Matthew Yates is the voice behind Earth Repair Radio, a site dedicated to making the world of radio clear and approachable. His journey began through community service and emergency broadcasting, where he learned how vital reliable communication can be when other systems fail. With vocational training in communications and years of hands on experience,

Matthew combines technical know how with a gift for simplifying complex ideas. From car radios to ham licensing and modern subscription services, he writes with clarity and warmth, helping readers understand radio not as jargon, but as a living connection in everyday life.