Edition #35: The latest from SiriusXM.
Someone's heading back to Atlanta, new podcast, and SO MUCH SPORTS.
Friday, March 31st, 2023
Hello there and welcome back to the SeriousXM newsletter. There is not much happening this week unless you love sports. This may be a big sports-themed newsletter this week, especially towards the end where its usually stuffed in the events section. Nonetheless, I’m here to tell you what’s happened this week.
The Latest News
Alpine releases a new update for SXM with 360L.
Depending on the unit you may have, Alpine has released a software update that includes SiriusXM-Ready with 360L on compatible head units. Its available for FREE.
This a reminder that SXM-Ready with 360L is available on compatible units with the SXV300 Tuner and a subscription. According to Radio World, if you have these specific units, then check for an update: Halo11 iLX-F511, Halo9 iLX-F509, iLX-507, and two units specific for Jeeps: i509-WRA-JL, and i509-WRA-JK.
If you don’t have the 360L, features that are included are more channels (like Xtra ones), Pandora stations, “For You” recommendations, and on-demand content.
Will Pendarvis is leaving SXM for his original home.
A longtime behind-the-scenes staple at SiriusXM is saying goodbye to the satellite radio giant and saying hello to his old fellow stomping radio grounds.
Will Pendarvis is soon leaving the company to join the radio staff of 100.5 WNNX Atlanta, or as I should say… 9-9-X. Yes, the legendary and influential 99X Atlanta.
For those who don’t know, 99X is one of the most legendary and influential alternative radio stations in the country located in Atlanta. Pendarvis was part of that original staff as the evening jock from 1993-1996. This time, he could be heard on afternoons to replace Axel Lowe who announced his departure earlier this week as Cumulus is trying to bring back as many original jocks from 99X’s original version as possible.
Pendarvis spent nearly two decades programming multiple rock stations for SiriusXM based out of their L.A. studios.
A new podcast for Andy Cohen. What a surprise. (Not really)
Don’t be surprised that Andy Cohen is in your ears a lot across SXM’s platforms. He already has two channels, hosts his daily entertainment-focused program, and now will add to that with an all-new podcast, Andy Cohen’s Deep and Shallow Podcast.
The new podcast will be released every Thursday and will feature a celebrity guest who’ll help eavesdrop on stuff you shouldn’t be hearing a.k.a. juicy gossip. If you like dating, reality TV, news, pop culture, and all things entertainment, this is pretty much it for you.
The podcast is available now on the SXM app and eventually on all podcast platforms.
New Channels
SiriusXM Guitar Greats.
So who are the 50 Greatest Guitarists of All Time? We’ll soon find out thanks to another limited-run channel from SiriusXM called Guitar Greats.
Starting tomorrow, Saturday, April 1st (not a joke here), they’ll be counting down who they are, which will feature a mix of pioneers and virtuosos from across multiple genres and eras.
The channel is available now on the SXM app but will be available in-car for a limited run starting tomorrow on Channel 104.
Final reminder for The Meghan Trainor Channel.
Before we move on, a quick final reminder of the limited-run The Meghan Trainor Channel that’s still running on the SXM app until next Friday, April 7th. Its a lot of her songs, behind-the-scenes stories, some of her favorite songs from other artists, and more.
If you are interested in that, go ahead and check that out before its gone.
Sports. No events. Just sports.
Okay, so this will be interesting because this week’s events… is all sports. Literary, there’s no event to promote so if you hate sports, this week is not the week for you. It’ll be all sports here this week.
First off, let me say that the NBA and NHL regular seasons are slowing wrapping up and will be approaching the playoffs shortly. But as their regular seasons are coming to a close, one has just started…
⚾: Baseball is back!!!
MLB Baseball has returned for another season! Once again, SiriusXM is the most comprehensive nationwide broadcaster for MLB Baseball coverage.
From now until the postseason in October, SiriusXM will have every single game of the season imaginable plus 24/7 news, talk, and more on MLB Network Radio (SXM 89).
There’ll be plenty of hosts interviewing managers, players, and more. Podcasts devoted to the sport such as Baseball Bar-B-Cast and a new season of Black Diamonds are back. Also, MLB Network Radio re-airs some of MLB Network’s programs including High Heat (with Mad Dog… yes, the same one from Mad Dog Sports Radio - SXM 82) and MLB TONIGHT.
Oh, and all the games will be on the SXM app via their 30 play-by-play channels which are devoted to each and every single MLB team. If you have an SXM with 360L radio, then you’ll probably get those channels as well.
⛳: Masters Week is here!
Let me clarify by saying that the tournament is NOT this weekend. However, it’ll be here before you know it, and as they say… It’s A Tradition Unlike Any Other.
Its Masters Week starting tomorrow and SiriusXM, of course, will cover everything as the exclusive national audio broadcaster of the tournament.
Expect all of it on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio (SXM 92) and the SXM app. Oh, it will temporarily rename itself as Masters Radio for the week. Here’s what you can expect from the upcoming week ahead.
Live Play-by-Play from every golf hole on Thursday, April 6th until Sunday, April 9th starting at 2:00pm ET (11:00am PT) every day and running until completion of play. Beforehand, there’ll be live look-ins during the morning and early afternoon. Mike Tirico from NBC Sports will be the lead play-by-play voice for all four Tournament rounds on SiriusXM (as Jim Nantz will be THE voice for CBS Sports, the main television rights holder as it has been since 1956.). Steve Melnyk will join Tirico on Thursday and Friday while Rocco Mediate will join him on Saturday and Sunday.
Thursday through Sunday, Gary Williams will anchor the coverage from 10:00am-2:00pm ET (7:00-11:00am PT) each day with play-by-play updates on featured groups with Carl Paulson reporting from on the course. Jim McLean and Chantel McCabe will report from the Tournament Practice Area at Augusta National.
But pre-round coverage will begin even earlier LIVE at 7:00am ET (4:00am PT) on Thursday and Friday and at 8:00am ET (5:00am PT) on Saturday and Sunday. Listeners will hear commentary and analysis from Taylor Zarzour, David Marr, Greg DuCharme, Bob Ford, 1982 Masters Champion Craig Stadler, and Dave Stockton, who tied for second in the 1974 Masters.
Immediately following each round, listeners will hear a three-hour postgame show (yep, three hours. That’s how important the Masters is in the golfing calendar year), hosted by Drew Stoltz and Jason Sobel, that will recap the day’s play.
The final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur will be on tomorrow, Saturday, April 1st (12 Noon-3:00pm ET - 9:00am-12 Noon PT). Chantel McCabe and David Marr will host with commentary from Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez.
The long traditional contest before the tradition itself is the Masters Par 3 Contest. Live coverage will be on Wednesday, April 5th from 2:00-6:00pm ET (11:00am-3:00pm PT). Taylor Zarzour will host with 1982 Masters Champion Craig Stadler, World Golf Hall of Famer Hale Irwin, Fred Albers, John Maginnes, and Brian Katrek. David Marr will conduct interviews.
A new special will debut on Monday, April 3rd at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) featuring legendary golfer and six-time Masters Champion Jack Nicklaus and his son Jackie looking back at the 1986 Masters when Jack won his last Masters title (the last of his 18 major championships) and Jackie was his caddy. They sat down for an extended conversation with Taylor Zarzour about it for this hour-long special. It will also be available on the SXM app as well.
On Thursday, live coverage of the Honorary Starters Ceremony and the opening tee shots of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson, followed by interviews with these three legendary players. The introduction of the Honorary Starters and their tee shots historically precede the first tee time of the Tournament’s first competitive round, signaling the official beginning of the Masters competition.
Finally, 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples and George Downing will host a new episode of The Fred Couples Show on Tuesday at 2:00pm ET (11:00am PT).
Listeners will also hear regularly scheduled shows hosted throughout the week by SiriusXM’s exceptional roster of current and former players, instructors, and other experts on the game. Its a lot but the Masters is an important event in the Golfing calendar every year so it will be treated as such.
By the way, if you are wondering, this week, the PGA Tour is in San Antonio for the final tune-up before the Masters at the Valero Texas Open. Coverage will be every single day at 1:00pm ET (10:00am PT) this entire weekend except for Saturday at 3:00pm ET (Noon PT) due to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur contest airing beforehand.
🏀: Down to the Final Four.
Well, this is it. We’re now down to the final four for both the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments.
SiriusXM will have all six upcoming games on SiriusXM College Sports Radio (SXM 84).
Today, Friday, March 31st, 2023 (Women’s Final Four)
7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) - #1 Virginia Tech vs. #3 LSU
9:30pm ET (6:30pm PT) - #1 South Carolina vs. #2 Iowa
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 1st, 2023 (Men’s Final Four)
Just after 6:00pm ET (3:00pm PT) - #5 San Diego State vs. #9 FAU
Just before 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT) - #4 UConn vs. #5 Miami (FL)
We don’t know the final games yet, as of this posting, but the Women’s National Championship Game will be on Sunday, April 2nd, and the Men’s on Monday, April 3rd. Again, SiriusXM will carry all six of those games to deliver an exciting and surprising finish to the college basketball season.
🏎️: The Motorsports section.
This section will be devoted to the motorsports community as there are several events taking place this weekend devoted to the ultra auto racing fan.
First off, NASCAR. They’re in Central Virginia this weekend, and of course, all of it is on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (SXM 90). Here’s the upcoming slate:
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 1st
1:00pm ET (10:00am PT) - NASCAR Xfinity Series: ToyotaCare 250
4:30pm ET (1:30pm PT) - NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
Sunday, April 2nd
3:30pm ET (12:30pm PT) - NASCAR Cup Series: Toyota Owners 400
This week’s Driver2Driver online-only channels…
Joey Logano #22 - SXM 980.
Kevin Harvick #4 - SXM 981.
Denny Hamlin #11 - SXM 982.
If NASCAR somehow isn’t your thing, maybe its IndyCar. This week, SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (SXM 160) will be at Texas Motor Speedway for the PPG 375.
They’ll have practice and qualifying all day tomorrow, Saturday, April 1st starting at 9:00am ET (6:00am PT). The race will be on Sunday, April 2nd, at 11:30am ET (8:30am PT).
If not, how about Formula One? This has to be it for you! They’re down under in Australia this weekend for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. It will be heard LIVE very early Sunday morning, April 2nd, at 1:00am ET (10:00pm PT) on ESPN Xtra (SXM 81).
As far as this week, I’m done. I didn’t think it was a lot but sports overtook a lot of it if you ask me.
Anyways, that’s it for this week. March is almost done, and April is here. But don’t be fooled though, the new month does start tomorrow.
Before you go…
I thank you for subscribing, for reading, and for showing your support. Have a great weekend!
SeriousXM is a newsletter service of TheRolyPoly Productions.
