Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., the biggest U.S. subscription-radio service, will pay $100 million to broadcast National Hockey League games for 10 years to expand its programming.

 

XM Satellite, based in Washington, will create a radio channel featuring the games and shows related to hockey. The broadcasts will begin next month, XM said today in a statement.

 

XM Satellite and New York-based Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. are adding stations and content to win subscribers. XM Satellite said it will be the exclusive satellite radio network of NHL beginning with the 2007-2008 season.

 

The company will provide coverage of more than 1,000 games per season and will create a stand-alone NHL channel with original programming. Canadian Satellite Radio, which will also broadcast the games, is funding a portion of the agreement.

 

Shares of XM Satellite rose 12 cents to $36.12 at 4 p.m. in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. The shares had fallen 4.3 percent this year before today.

 

XM Satellite will start its NHL coverage on opening night, Oct. 5. The league didn't have any games last season because of a labor dispute.

 

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...aI&refer=canada

XM: MLB, NHL, Big 10, Big 12, PAC 10, NASCAR, PGA

Sirius: NFL, (NBA?)

 

XM has like 3 times the subscribers I heard.

that seems like a waste.

this is going to suck in time all NFL, MLB, NBA games will end up on XM or Sirus and not be on the regular radio anymore

Who cares?

This is good news.

 

More revenue = salary cap not dropping after the season.

Woot, I have XM. This is awesome!

YES! I have XM too, no more NHL.com Radio! HAHAHA!

Very dumb deal for XM.

This meets the Canadian content requirement that XM needed to enter the Canadian market. Very smart deal.

this is going to suck in time all NFL, MLB, NBA games will end up on XM or Sirus and not be on the regular radio anymore

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They're just simulcasting the regular radio broadcasts...

Very dumb deal for XM.

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No it's not, with this deal XM just got an entire country to subscribe to their service.

XM overpayed.

 

I'd love to see what type of money Major League Lacrosse gets.

 

XM and Sirius will not replace local broadcasts. It will make out of market games available to people all over the country like DirectTV does with their sunday ticket.

 

Hockey on the radio sucks. I mean it's even worse than Hockey on TV. And Canadians watch their hockey on TV so I don't know how much XM will benefit.

They over paid. They grossly overestimated the value of hockey in a time when even FANS of the sport have trouble getting interested.

 

Unless Crosby = second coming of Gretzky, NHL = RIP.

XM Canada and GM Canada are footing a huge part of this bill. Plus, it is for 10 years, that is a damn long time. I hear the CFL is forthcoming as well.

Is it just me or would Hockery be one of the worst sports to follow on the radio?

Is it just me or would Hockery be one of the worst sports to follow on the radio?

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Actually, it is second to baseball. You can hear the sounds of the game, whistles, refs, and of course the play-by-play with analysis on the side. Basketball is by far the worst on the radio way behind football.