XM Canada, which currently claims more than 400,000 Canadian subscribers, will air every game of the upcoming 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs live, beginning April 9.
‘We are thrilled to bring the excitement and fast-paced action of every single NHL playoff game to our listeners across Canada, right from the first puck drop to the last buzzer in the Stanley Cup final game,’ says Joe Thistel, director of sports and news programming for XM Canada. ‘Not only can hockey fans tune in to every game on NHL Home Ice, but they can also catch the latest news, in-depth analysis and sharp commentary, right on their XM satellite radio.’
Contrary to the perception that satellite radio is ad-free, six minutes of commercials an hour are on offer, and sponsorships are available in morning and afternoon pre-game, hockey-oriented shows. There are also opportunities during the game via sponsored billboards, and unique sponsored features that rotate throughout the broadcasts. Another ad and/or sponsorship opportunity is the digital data display that delivers visual text messages to listeners.
