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Top MLB Teams Expand Radio Networks for 2025 Season
Baseball fans across the United States and Canada will be able to tune into their favourite teams with ease, as the top MLB teams have expanded their full-power radio affiliates for the 2025 season.
The St. Louis Cardinals lead the pack with 110 full-power affiliates, spanning nine states mostly in the Midwest and Mid-South regions. The Atlanta Braves follow closely behind with 100 affiliates, covering a greater number of states in the southern U.S. The Minnesota Twins rank third with 70 stations, covering their home region including Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Other teams cluster regionally with affiliates aligning mostly with their geographic fan bases, such as the Red Sox in New England, the Brewers and Tigers in the Great Lakes area, and the Royals and Rangers in the central plains and south-central states.
The FM radio band has become a recent addition to baseball broadcasts, following the general movement of AM broadcasters to seek FM simulcasts. Many listeners still prefer clear-channel AM signals for baseball games.
Notable changes for 2025 include the addition of 104.1 KMOX(FM) to the Cardinals' radio network and the Athletics temporarily using 650 KSTE(AM) in Sacramento as their flagship home.
The Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Dodgers each have Spanish-language broadcasts available in Mexico. The Toronto Blue Jays' network stretches across Canada, while the Dodgers are heard in the U.S. Virgin Islands via 1340 WSTA(AM) in St. Thomas.
Engineer Alan Jurison recalled a situation where 105.7 WJZ(FM) Catonsville/Baltimore was running HD Radio, but WQXA(FM) in York, Pa., wasn't, causing a blend between sports and rock while driving on Interstate 83 near the state line. Reader Milford Smith noted a predicament when trying to listen to 100.3 WRNB(FM) in central New Jersey due to its proximity to 100.3 WHTZ(FM) in Newark, N.J. Tom Conroy noted overlap from Class B signals 103.7 WXCY(FM) Havre De Grace, Md., and 103.7 WMGM(FM) Atlantic City, N.J.
Chime in Sherman Oaks, Calif., remembered hearing 99.5 WJBR(FM) from Wilmington, Del. (now WVCY) through its heterodynes under New York's WBAI. On July 24, 2012, the Arizona Diamondbacks' game broadcast was received in New Jersey via double-hop sporadic-E from KZUA(FM) Holbrook, Ariz., approximately 1,955 miles away.
Nick's Signal Spot is a feature that explores RF signals, propagation, new equipment, or related endeavors. For those interested in the subject of grandfathered FMs, Tom suggested that it could make for a great upcoming Signal Spot column. Tom also pointed out that WXCY is directional to protect adjacent-channel WTOP(FM) in Washington, D.C.
As the 2025 baseball season begins, fans can look forward to tuning into their favourite teams on the radio, with a wide range of options available across the country.
- In addition to AM radio, the FM radio band will also broadcast MLB games for the 2025 season, following the shift of many broadcasters seeking FM simulcasts.
- The top MLB teams have expanded their radio networks for the 2025 season, with the St. Louis Cardinals leading with 110 full-power affiliates.
- Some teams, such as the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Dodgers, offer Spanish-language broadcasts, available in Mexico and other countries.
- Engineers and fans alike encounter challenges with signal overlap and propagation, such as the blending of sports and rock radio while driving on Interstate 83 or receiving broadcasters from far-away locations.
