Looking for info on how to listen to this 2021’s Super Bowl LV? Click here.
Sports are nearly as popular on the radio as on television. As USA Today observes, there are 289 more all-sports radio stations on the air since 2006, and this weekend’s Super Bowl is their “summit.” All these stations will be discussing the big game, endlessly, for the next four days, though not all of them will carry the game.
Nevertheless, folks who are working, driving or not near a TV this Sunday, or those who don’t own a TV in the first place, can still listen in to Super Bowl XLVIII on the radio. While there will be fewer listeners than the 100 million-plus viewers who watch the television broadcast, there’s still a sizable radio audience. Edison Research reported that 23.1 million listeners tuned in to a Dial Global affiliate for Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.
Dial Global is now known as Westwood One again, and you can hear the game on a Westwood One Sports affiliate station. ESPN Desportes Radio will broadcast the game in Spanish, while SiriusXM offers the play-by-play in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and five other languages. The satellite broadcaster also gives English listeners the choice of hearing the Denver Broncos or Seattle Seahawks team broadcast (channel listings below). These programs are available via satellite and through SiriusXM Internet Radio.
Another online option is NFL Audio Pass, which has a playoffs only package for $9.99. Of course the playoffs are over, but since the package includes the Super Bowl, it’s a relatively inexpensive way to ensure you can hear the game online.
Members of the US military overseas, as well as those living near military bases, should be able to listen in on American Forces Radio. In the UK listeners can hear the game on independent broadcaster Absolute Radio. There may be other international radio broadcasters carrying the Super Bowl, but I wasn’t able to confirm any.
It’s not at all clear if the live internet streams of broadcast stations are blacked out, or blacked out by region. This year I’ll make it a point to check out some streams and find out.
If you’re a radio listener outside the US, let us know if and how you plan to listen to the Super Bowl.
Here’s the SiriusXM channel lineup:
- Denver Broncos team broadcast – Sirius 92 / XM 225 / Online 802
- Seattle Seahawks team broadcast – Sirius 86 / XM 86 / Online 827
- National radio broadcast – Sirius 88 / XM 88 / Online 88
- Spanish language broadcast – Sirius 157 / XM 157 / Online 157
- Portuguese broadcast – Sirius 119 / XM 232 / Online 961
- Chinese broadcast – Sirius 113 / XM 229 / Online 965
- German broadcast – Sirius 93 / XM 228 / Online 964
- French broadcast – Sirius 85 / XM 227 / Online 966
- Russian broadcast – Sirius 108 / XM 230 / Online 963
- Japanese broadcast – Sirius 117 / XM 231 / Online 962
- Hungarian broadcast – Sirius 136 / XM 233 / Online 960
