MLB on XM is Up (1 Viewer)

Finally got my Skyfi2 back from Delphi -- the longest 2 weeks ever!

I notice that XM175 is up now, that's the Home Plate channel that's 24hr baseball. They also have the game channels ready to go. YEAH! I was listening to the Home Plate programming last night, it was World Series replay. Today it's all been original programming. First impression is that they're a little new to it -- awkward pauses and kinda boring from Larry Bowa's show this morning. I'm really looking forward to the afternoon show with Kevin Kennedy and Rob Dibble (I was wondering where that guy went!).

I'm just so damn happy that baseball season is officially here in 2 days (when my team reports to Spring Training).

Doug

In the meantime, they killed off XM Liquid Metal for it. Right now, there are a lot of pissed off fans.

Jason

This is what I was wondering would happen. Now, we'll have to see how they drop in the games

They killed Liquid Metal? Huh, I didn't even notice. I listened to that station a little bit, but it wasn't my style (Bone Yard and Squizz I generally listen too).

In terms of getting back to the MLB Home Plate station, it's been loaded with great stuff all day. I missed the initial Canseco interview with Kennedy and Dibble (and missed the encores later today too, other than the last 10 minutes). You've got to be kidding me with this station! My drive is an hour -- During my hour drive (not counting the 7 minute stop at the gas station for gas and a Coke,) I heard the last 10 minutes of Canseco. One quick commercial break, then Pete Rose for the entire rest of the drive. I swear, Pete was on for close to an hour, no breaks or anything. I felt like I was just sitting in a room, a fly on a wall, or whatever. I couldn't believe how long they talked. (And no gambling talk either, it was all about past players and a bit of the steroid stuff. And Pete only shilled one thing, and it wasn't until the end!)

I'm going to dig this station.
Doug

Jason --

Why do you think they killed Liquid Metal for MLB? The Liquid Metal spot is still there, but I hear the announcement of when certain programming will be on the other stations. Isn't it more likely that Liquid Metal just doesn't get enough listeners, so they're going to retool the channel to another hard rock station?

I don't think anyone here has ever said anything about monitoring listeners. I'm sure that XM has something that can tell them literally how many listeners they have on a particular station per hour, minute, or probably even second. I don't think MLB had anything to do with it, I would be willing to be that the channel just didn't have the listeners.

Doug

Because the satellite radio system is not bi-directional (you simply don't have a transmitter on your end to send back data) there is literally no way for XM or SIRIUS to be aware of what channel you tune in or when.

Just thought I'd address this as a technology issue

XMLM is still on XM Online, so there is no retooling going on.

Pretty rotten way of doing things, personally.

Jason

Jason --

I can see why you would think that MLB killed Liquid Metal, but there are 16 other baseball stations besides Home Plate, so it would have killed off quite a few more stations.

Chris --

We only THINK that they're not bi-directional.

Doug

(I know you're response was in jest, just thought I'd say just for reason sake)

Still, if they were to be bi-directional, a transmission of more then 5 miles would require FCC guardianship, and a transmission uplink to satellite requires reserved transversal bandwidth, something neither company has

But, I'm sure they'd like to come up with something. Spent time in San Fransisco this weekend (Chinese New Year celebration) boy, were both the XM / SIRIUS people out in force