Major League Baseball Appears On Sirius XM
In an interesting new development, the Major League Baseball channel has found a new home on the Sirius side of the satellite radio dial. Previously this programming was not available to Sirius subscribers because the contract prohibited it. In essence, Sirius XM had to sit down at the table and make an arrangement that would allow MLB to be inclusive in any Best Of programming packages.
The natural time for the negotiations was shortly after the merger was approved. This would have allowed the Sirius side of the subscriber pool to enjoy MLB. That never happened, which indicated that perhaps there was a gap between the folks at MLB and the folks at Sirius XM.
Okay, not a big deal right? Well, that depends on how deep you want to look, as well as how much you want to speculate. You see, there is a small issue of $120,000,000 sitting in escrow. This escrow was established between XM and MLB prior to the merger. The money is just sitting there, unused. This money would be very helpful to Sirius XM Radio right now.
So why would negotiations be happening months prior to Spring training? A logical answer is that there was more than just programming offers being discussed. Yes, this is speculation, but there exists a possibility that Sirius XM and MLB have come to an agreement that would at least make the cash flow of the deal more friendly, and could even free up at least some of the escrow money.
With major debt issues in 2009, Sirius XM Radio will be making efforts to gain a financial edge wherever they can. It could even mean discussions with the NFL to make their $45 million due this year something more friendly.
So, consumers can listen to some hot stove baseball chat, and investors can consider what other conversations the dealings with MLB entailed. Time will tell.
Position – Long Sirius XM
otone,
Bashing? Are you shitting me??!! I am as staunch a satellite radio supporter as any you will ever find. As far as my being on the up and up, I can assure you that the essence of what I am saying is absolutely sincere. Do I embelish things a bit? Not too much, I assure you.
Your dad sounds like an astute and sensible man. I commend him for having the good judgment to give satellite radio a try, and consequently loving it. I live in upstate New York; not exactly a cosmopolitan region of the country. There are lots of pick up trucks and lots of John Deere hats in these parts. Unlike your dad’s brethren in the Panhandle, I live in Appalachia North – where everybody is white, nobody has all their teeth, and a big night out on the town is hitting Taco Bell before loading up the F-150 with your hillbilly friends and heading for the drive In (picture show).
If Mel Karmazin promoted this service with one half the passion that I do, I wouldn’t have to be defending myself against absurd accusations like the preposterous one you make about me. Things would be a lot better, and sites like this would be rendered obsolete. If you took the time to read my last 30 or 40 posts, you would be less prone to making such a knee jerk inference.
I might be a little crass, and be a pain in the ass, but I do not bash. I am a goodwill ambassador for the company and the technology. I should move to the Panhandle and join the satellite radio love fest that has all the Snowbirds going apeshit! Thanks for very subtly planting this great idea in my head. I’m gonna grab my sportster replay, my walker and Lawrence Welk DVD’s and head for the airport, baby. I owe you one!
So, What is the up to date status of the mlb on sirius, are they negotiating or what, I’m one of the few who loves baseball and will swith to xm if sirus can’t deliver does anybody know the latest