Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Juan Pablo Montoya Gets Sirius

March 21, 2007

NASCAR Driver Juan Pablo Montoya Signs Marketing Pact with SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Montoya will promote live race coverage and SIRIUS NASCAR Radio channel
Marketing deal complements his existing Juan Pablo Montoya Report on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio

NEW YORK, March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI - News), the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, announced today that NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya has signed on to promote SIRIUS' extensive lineup of NASCAR programming and live race coverage.

Source: SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Montoya, who can be heard weekly on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, will be featured in SIRIUS' advertising and marketing efforts, including an extensive promotional campaign at retail locations around the country. The advertising will promote SIRIUS' live coverage of every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race as well as SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, the exclusive talk channel that gives listeners 24/7 coverage of every race and everything in-between, with up-to-the-minute news, expert analysis and exclusive interviews with NASCAR insiders.

In addition to his role as a SIRIUS spokesman, Montoya can be heard every Monday at 5 pm ET on The Juan Pablo Montoya Report on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, where he provides listeners with exclusive updates on the No. 42 team and his experiences in NASCAR. The Juan Pablo Montoya Report airs as part of SIRIUS Speedway, the exclusive talk show hosted by Dave Moody that airs weekdays (3 - 7 pm ET) on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, channel 128.

"I listen to SIRIUS all the time so I am very aware of their diverse programming and am happy to be partnering with them to create more unique content," said Montoya. "SIRIUS NASCAR Radio lets fans listen to every race from anywhere in the country and keeps them informed about what is going on at the track and inside the garage. I think being associated with them and all they do to bring NASCAR to its fans is great and something I wanted to support."

"Barely a month into his first full season Juan Pablo has established himself as one of NASCAR's most intriguing personalities," said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS' President, Entertainment & Sports. "With performances like his win in Mexico City and his top-five finish in Atlanta, he is capturing the attention of fans everywhere. We are very pleased he has chosen to affiliate himself with SIRIUS, both on our air and in our marketing efforts."

Montoya, the first Formula One driver ever to jump full time into the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, has been impressive in his first full season in stock cars. On March 4, he captured his first stock car victory in the Telcel-Motorola 200 NASCAR Busch Series race in Mexico City and on March 18 he finished a career-best fifth in the Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race in Atlanta.

Originally from Colombia, Montoya raced in F1, the pinnacle of open-wheel racing, from 2001 to 2006, compiling seven Grand Prix wins including the sport's blue ribbon event -- the Monaco Grand Prix. Prior to that he drove for Chip Ganassi Racing in the CART series from 1999 to 2000 where he won the CART Championship Series in 1999 as a rookie, and in his first attempt, won the Indianapolis 500 in dominating fashion in 2000.

All NASCAR content is provided to SIRIUS customers at no additional cost over SIRIUS' monthly subscription fee. For more information visit http://www.sirius.com.

Labels: nascar, sirius

3/21/2007 10:43:00 AM

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Sunday, February 18, 2007

Sirius Wins With NASCAR

February 18, 2007

One of the truly wonderful things about satellite radio is the vast array of content available, and the ability to access that content so simply. The platform of satellite radio literally gives you the ability to experiment with new forms of music and new forms of radio entertainment.

I would consider myself a very casual fan of NASCAR. I have never attended a NASCARR race, and have seen parts of races on television from time to time. I could name and identify the top drivers, but on a week to week basis would not likely be able to tell you who won, or who leads in the point standings.

The arrival of NASCAR to Sirius has actually had me tune in to watch the race. The fact that I can listen to Driver-To-Crew communications during the race via satellite radio added a dynamic that I felt was rather compelling.

If I, as a very casual fan, found the Driver-To-Crew broadcasts compelling enough for me to become involved in this race, imagine how true fans of NASCAR must feel about this capability.

What Sirius has done with the NASCAR contract is what should have been done long ago. Sirius took content that is already widely available on television and radio, and added a component that television and traditional radio could not. In doing so, Sirius has built a value into their NASCAR programming. That added value is what will bring subscribers to the satellite radio platform.

In the past, traditional radio and even XM Satellite Radio were only 3 feet away from gold. Sirius took the extra step to make the programming more compelling. They added a feature that typically is only available at the track, or on a computer. Now, a NASCAR fan can tune in a race on the television, but is not tied to the couch during the 3 to 4 hour event. The fan can actually get up and do some other activities while listening to the race, and further, can get an “in-the-car” experience via the Driver-To-Crew service.

Sirius’ launch of NASCAR, and the thought that went into it, are perhaps one of the better examples of integrating sports into radio that takes it beyond the typical and into the special.

The Sirius delivery of NASCAR content is simply RADIO GOLD. It is my hope that Sirius and XM both see the successes of this type of programming, and step up how other sports, and all programming for that matter, are done. Satellite radio has the unique opportunity to create the type of content and programming that will create huge demand.

Labels: driver-to-crew, nascar, sirius

2/18/2007 05:11:00 PM

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Friday, February 16, 2007

Ricky Rudd Is The Fans Choice

February 16, 2007

Sirius, the new home of NASCAR has done a great job in turning racing on radio into something interactive and specail. The live audio streaming of drivers is a great way to give value to subscribers, and the Fans Choice poll takes it a step further. Congratulations Ricky on becoming the first Fans Choice driver.

Ricky Rudd to be Featured on SIRIUS Satellite Radio's 'Fan's Choice' Broadcast for Sunday's Daytona 500
Friday February 16, 7:21 pm ET

Fans vote for veteran driver's in-car audio to air on SIRIUS

NEW YORK, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI - News), the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, announced today that the in-car audio of Ricky Rudd, driver of the No. 88 Snickers Ford, has been chosen by the fans to be featured on SIRIUS' "Fan's Choice" broadcast during the Daytona 500 this Sunday, February 18.

More than 10,000 fans cast their votes at http://www.sirius.com/driver2crew this week. As the top vote-getter, Rudd's in-car audio will be featured during Sunday's race on SIRIUS channel 140.

Prior to every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race, fans will be given the chance to vote for their favorite driver at http://www.sirius.com/driver2crew. The driver with the most votes will have his in-car audio broadcast on the "Fan's Choice" channel, one of up to ten additional Driver2Crew Chatter(TM) channels that SIRIUS will devote to carrying the in-car audio of up to 10 different race teams for every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race in 2007. The additional nine channels will carry the in-car audio of other drivers based on their place in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series standings.

For this weekend's Daytona 500, SIRIUS subscribers can hear the following:

-- Live race call provided by Motor Racing Network -- channel 128
-- 10 additional Driver2Crew Chatter(TM) channels:
-- Jimmie Johnson in-car audio -- channel 122
-- Tony Stewart in-car audio -- channel 126
-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. in-car audio -- channel 125
-- Jeff Gordon in-car audio -- channel 121
-- Kasey Kahne in-car audio -- channel 114
-- Kevin Harvick in-car audio -- channel 119
-- Matt Kenseth in-car audio -- channel 130
-- Jeff Burton in-car audio -- channel 147
-- Denny Hamlin in-car audio -- channel 144
-- Ricky Rudd in-car audio (Fan's Choice) -- channel 140

On each channel SIRIUS will combine the race broadcast with the driver-to-crew communications, allowing fans to follow the overall race call and the in-car audio of a driver on a single channel throughout the race. Listeners will hear drivers and crew chiefs schedule pit stops and discuss strategy over audio of the overall race broadcast. When the team members are not on the radio the audio of the live race broadcast will come up allowing listeners to follow the entire race uninterrupted.

A lineup of drivers and their channel assignments will be available at http://www.sirius.com/driver2crew prior to each race. All NASCAR content is provided to SIRIUS customers at no additional cost over SIRIUS' monthly subscription fee.

Source: SIRIUS Satellite Radio

As the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, SIRIUS broadcasts every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race live, carrying the broadcasts of Motor Racing Network (MRN), Performance Racing Network (PRN) and the IMS Radio Network's broadcast from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Labels: fans choice, nascar, ricky rudd, sirius

2/16/2007 08:31:00 PM

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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

BusinessWeek: A NASCAR Comeback?

A Comeback for NASCAR?
New advertisers, broadcasters, and Toyota will help, but to reverse declining growth what NASCAR really needs is new viewers
by Douglas MacMillan and Matt Vella, BusinessWeek

A green flag means go this Sunday, Feb. 17, for drivers competing in the Daytona 500. But amid the roaring and smoking of the high-speed, high-performance race cars, NASCAR executives will be looking for something else: a significant rebound in ratings and viewership.
Last year saw a lag in attendance and a ratings downturn that left the sport in need of a comeback season. New high-profile advertisers, new broadcasting outlets, and Toyota's (TM) decision to participate for the first time could make that happen. But to truly attract large audiences once again, NASCAR officials say the sport must strike a balance between catering to existing fans and making new ones...

Despite this decline, NASCAR officials maintain that the sport remains attractive to fans and sponsors. Steve Phelps, NASCAR's chief marketing officer, says the sport's fan base has grown nearly 20% in the last decade, to 75 million in 2006. NASCAR-licensed merchandise, meanwhile, is worth $2 billion in sales annually. But because it's held privately, NASCAR—an acronym for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing—doesn't have to disclose its revenues or operating costs.
Downturn notwithstanding, NASCAR has managed to win new high-profile advertisers this year, including Bank of America (BAC) and Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) Tylenol. It's also pushing ahead with ambitious new broadcasting ventures, thanks to two new partners: Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) and the ESPN network, which is back following a six year absence...

...NASCAR made another major media shift, from satellite radio provider XM Satellite Radio (XMSR) to its rival, Sirius. Sirius listeners will be able to tune in to every NASCAR race on the main NASCAR stations, as well as a related talk programs. On race days, Sirius subscribers will even be able to layer the in-car communications of their favorite driver with the main broadcast from the booth. "We're after the core audience, the fanatical fans who will see this programming as must-have," says Scott Greenstein, Sirius' president of entertainment & sports...read more: here

Labels: businessweek, nascar, sirius

2/14/2007 01:50:00 AM

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Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Sirius Creates "Fans Choice"

February 13, 2007

SIRIUS Satellite Radio to Create "Fan's Choice" Broadcast for 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series(TM) Races

Fans can vote online to determine which driver's in-car audio will air on SIRIUS
Additional channels to feature other top drivers based on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series standings

NEW YORK, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI - News), the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, announced today that it will provide a "Fan's Choice" broadcast, in addition to the live race call for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races in 2007, that will feature the driver-to-pit crew communications of a driver determined weekly by a fan vote.

Prior to every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race, fans can log on to www.sirius.com/driverfeeds to vote for their favorite driver. The driver with the most votes will have his in-car audio broadcast on the "Fan's Choice" channel, which will air on SIRIUS channel 140 during that weekend's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.

Source: SIRIUS Satellite Radio

The "Fan's Choice" broadcast will air on one of up to ten additional channels that SIRIUS will devote to carrying the driver-to-crew communications of up to 10 different race teams for every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race in 2007. The additional nine channels will carry the in-car audio of other drivers based on their place in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series standings each week.

On each channel SIRIUS will combine the race broadcast with the driver-to- crew chatter, allowing fans to follow the overall race call and the in-car audio of a driver on a single channel throughout the race. Listeners will hear drivers and crew chiefs schedule pit stops and discuss strategy over audio of the overall race broadcast. When the team members are not on the radio the audio of the live race broadcast will come up allowing listeners to follow the entire race uninterrupted.

A lineup of drivers and their channel assignments will be available at www.sirius.com/driverfeeds prior to each race.

The live overall race broadcast for every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race will air on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, channel 128. As the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, SIRIUS broadcasts every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race live, carrying the broadcasts of Motor Racing Network (MRN), Performance Racing Network (PRN) and the IMS Radio Network's broadcast from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In addition to live race coverage, SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, the only 24/7 year-round radio channel dedicated to NASCAR, provides the most comprehensive, in-depth radio coverage of the sport with a lineup of exclusive daily talk shows providing up-to-the-minute news, expert analysis and exclusive interviews with NASCAR insiders.

Labels: fan ckoice, nascar, sirius

2/13/2007 11:03:00 PM

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Thursday, February 01, 2007

New NASCAR Site Up and Running

February 1, 2007

We hinted at it earlier today, and now the new NASCAR site is up and running complete with the Sirius logo.

Fans can check out the new site at www.nascar.com

Labels: nascar, sirius

2/01/2007 11:51:00 PM

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New NASCAR Website To Be Launched

February 1, 2007

As many already know, Sirius is now the Official Satellite Radio Provider for NASCAR. Since the beginning of the year, any mention of Sirius has been conspicuously absent from the NASCAR website. What many may not know is that Turner, and not NASCAR owns and operates the site.

That being said, the question now is what the new NASCAR site will look like, and more importantly for Sirius investors, will Sirius be on display?

Stay tuned to find out. As this piece is written, you can not access the site. A message that the new site will come today is as far as you get. So keep checking, and see the new site as it is launched.

Labels: nascar, sirius

2/01/2007 03:42:00 PM

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Monday, January 29, 2007

NASCAR Driver Juan Pablo Montoya to Speak Weekly to SIRIUS Listeners

January 29, 2007

NASCAR Driver Juan Pablo Montoya to Speak Weekly to SIRIUS Listeners

Montoya will be heard every Monday on 'SIRIUS Speedway' exclusively on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio

SIRIUS Satellite Radio, the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, announced today that Juan Pablo Montoya, the former Formula One star who will drive the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and NASCAR Busch Series in 2007 for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, will participate weekly in an exclusive interview spot heard only on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, the new 24/7 year-round radio channel dedicated to NASCAR.

Starting January 29, Montoya will be heard every Monday on SIRIUS Speedway, the exclusive talk show hosted by Dave Moody that airs weekdays (3- 7pm ET) on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio / ch. 128. Montoya, the first F1 driver ever to jump full time into the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, will provide updates on the No. 42 team and comment weekly on his experiences in NASCAR as he transitions from open-wheel racing to stock car racing.

"I'm really excited to be on SIRIUS every week talking to the fans about all my experiences in NASCAR," said Montoya. "I'm going to have a lot of fun this year, on the racetrack and on the radio."

"We're thrilled to welcome an international racing star like Juan Pablo to the SIRIUS NASCAR Radio family and we look forward to his first full season in NASCAR," said Steve Cohen, SIRIUS' Vice President of Sports Programming. "Each week our listeners will get first-hand updates on his progress, hear his insights into the differences between open-wheel and stock car racing and get his feedback on all the races."

Montoya, who is originally from Colombia, raced in Formula One, the pinnacle of open-wheel racing, from 2001 to 2006, compiling seven Grand Prix wins including the sport's blue ribbon event -- the Monaco Grand Prix. Prior to that he drove for Chip Ganassi Racing in the CART series from 1999 to 2000 where he won the CART Championship Series in 1999 as a rookie, and in his first attempt, won the Indianapolis 500 in dominating fashion in 2000. Montoya, 31, decided last year to jump full-time into NASCAR, competing in two ARCA events, four NASCAR Busch Series races and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in preparation for a full assault on the Nextel Cup Series in 2007.

SIRIUS is the satellite radio home of every NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, channel 128, which launched January 1, features the races plus exclusive original talk shows with up-to-the-minute news, expert analysis and exclusive interviews with NASCAR insiders.

All NASCAR content is provided to SIRIUS customers at no additional cost over SIRIUS' monthly subscription fee. For more information visit www.sirius.com.

Labels: montoya, nascar, sirius