XM is adding a whole new slate of ESPN programs to its line up, and is rebranding XM channel 141 as a new ESPN Radio-dedicated channel, starting next Monday, February 4th.
XM's ESPNEWS (ch 141) will be getting a name change to "ESPN Xtra." The channel will grow its current schedule of ESPNEWS programming with new shows and specials, including three ESPN Radio talk programs from its stations in New York and Dallas.
Interestingly enough, it looks like ESPN is expanding its reach with satellite radio. In December, ESPN and Sirius announced that they would be adding SportsCenter and other ESPN programming to Sirius' lineup.
The ESPN Xtra channel will also air content produced by ESPN exclusively for XM throughout the year, live coverage of events ranging from the X Games to the ESPY Awards, and ESPN columnist Bill Simmons' popular podcast from ESPN.com.
Don't worry, XM will continue to offer ESPN Radio (ch 140).
Click the jump to see a rundown of the new shows making their way to ESPN Xtra...
Joining the ESPN Xtra channel are The Michael Kay Show and The Max Kellerman Show from 1050 AM ESPN Radio in New York, and Galloway and Company from 103.3 FM ESPN Radio in Dallas will be heard - for the first time - nationwide on XM.
The Michael Kay Show will be heard weekdays on the ESPN Xtra channel from 4pm - 7pm ET. In addition to hosting the radio show, Kay serves as television play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees and the host of Centerstage on the YES Network.
The Max Kellerman Show will air on ESPN Xtra weekdays from 10am - 1pm. Kellerman is also an analyst for HBO Boxing and is well known for his hosting stints on ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, and Spike TV.
Galloway and Company, hosted by Randy Galloway, will be carried on ESPN Xtra weekdays from 7pm - 10pm. Galloway has been a radio talk show host for 21 years, and he writes a newspaper column for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
ESPN Xtra specials will include an in-depth Major League Baseball preview in advance of Opening Day. This special comes on the heels of December's BCS preview special hosted by ESPN's Colin Cowherd that ESPN created for XM.
Bill Simmons (aka "The Sports Guy") is a columnist for ESPN.com's "Page 2" and ESPN The Magazine. The New England native, renowned for his passion for Boston sports teams, will be heard Fridays at 3pm and at 10pm ET when ESPN Xtra airs his popular 40-minute podcast from ESPN.com.
Ugh.
Sports-talk hosts are pretty interchangeable these days; what can Max Kellerman offer that Colin Cowherd can't? So why do we need to have each and every one on tap?
And Bill Simmons is a whiny, squeaky-voiced prick. If there's such a thing as a face for radio, there's such a thing as a voice for newspaper. The last thing anyone needs is 40 minutes of him squealing about the Celtics.
For those of you have never heard the Texas drawl of Randy Galloway on the radio, you're in for a treat.
Yay. Further dropped bitrates.
Thanks, XM.
There won't be a drop in bitrate as it is simply a rebranding of an existing channel.
YO! (Point's to the left)
I'm glad to hear Michael Kay on the XMz as it gives me a reason to not listen to WEPN. I wish only happen a few year ago though while I was back at college.
Clear Channel Confirms SDARS are an economical threat
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519837479
Clear Channel emphasized the enormous amount of spectrum that would be
concentrated in the control of one essentially unregulated entity were the transaction to
proceed as proposed, creating a genuine threat to the economic framework of terrestrial
broadcast radio.
GREAT news - I always lose ESPN radio about halfway into my commute home, when Michael Kay is on here in the NYC area.
Kellerman is funny and a nice break from Mike & Mike, who only *think* they're funny.
Sports Guy - I shan't be listening.
If this means no more Around the Horn and PTI then this is a terrible change. I listen everyday on my drive home. Actually enough to make me drop my XM subscription as not missing those shows is a primary reason I have XM.
If this means no more Around the Horn and PTI then this is a terrible change. I listen everyday on my drive home. Actually enough to make me drop my XM subscription as not missing those shows is a primary reason I have XM.
ESPN Radio (XM 140) carries PTI at 6:30 pm ET, which should be unaffected, but I don't know about ATH.
Oh, since I looked at this quickly at work I didn't read the full article.
Good, no further dropped bitrates. In that case...
Darn it, now one of my channels won't have a logo on my AVIC-D1.
;)
At least the bitrates aren't further dropped; I can sleep well.
Cannot believe the braintrust of XM scuttled Around the Horn! You IDIOTS. If you're going to drop programming, anything with Kornheiser should be filed in the round file. Unreal.