SiriusXM and Audacy just gave the radio industry something to talk about. The two companies announced a licensing deal Tuesday that’ll bring 42 Audacy-owned sports, news, and talk stations to the satellite platform.
Beginning September 1, listeners will hear stations like WFAN, 104.3 The Score, and KNX News through SiriusXM’s app and in vehicles nationwide. It’s a significant expansion for both sides, though I’d argue the benefits aren’t split evenly.
For Audacy, this is an easy win. The deal adds another example of the company’s willingness to abandon strict exclusivity in favor of wider distribution.
I’ve praised this strategy before, and I’ll keep doing it as long as Audacy keeps using it. Getting local content in front of more ears, wherever those ears happen to be, is smart business. Other companies in this industry should take notice.
But what does SiriusXM actually get out of this? That question is harder to answer.
Subscribers Seem Like A Stretch
Sure, SiriusXM gains a stack of local sports and news content, likely at a bargain price. Suddenly, its platform functions like a quasi-local sports and news network. That’s a neat trick on paper.
Still, I keep circling back to one question: does any of this move subscribers? I doubt it. Essentially, SiriusXM is placing a paywall in front of the Audacy app’s content. Meanwhile, the Audacy app isn’t disappearing. It remains free, and listeners can access nearly identical programming without paying SiriusXM a dime. So why would casual fans switch?
Advertising dollars present a similarly murky picture. If SiriusXM isn’t already overloaded with inventory on channels like Mad Dog Sports Radio or Fox News Headlines 24/7, then adding local content likely won’t fix a demand problem.
Perhaps I’m wrong, and advertisers value the localized reach differently than I’d expect. But at first glance, the math doesn’t add up.
Play-By-Play Rights Might Be The Real Prize
One benefit stands out more than the rest: sports rights. Audacy’s flagship stations carry play-by-play rights for nine NFL teams, eight NBA teams, 11 MLB teams, and four NHL teams, based on my count. Perhaps SiriusXM sees this partnership as a workaround — a way to access those broadcasts without negotiating separate league-wide deals.
Even so, that explanation feels like a reach. Nothing in the release or the public comments from Scott Greenstein or Kelli Turner points directly toward game broadcasts as the motivation. Instead, both executives emphasized local personalities and expanded reach, not play-by-play inventory.
None of this means SiriusXM made a bad move. Companies test partnerships all the time, and this one costs relatively little to try. Additionally, if it doesn’t pan out, SiriusXM can quietly let the agreement lapse when it expires.
Ultimately, I’m not criticizing SiriusXM for signing this deal. I just don’t see the clear necessity behind it, at least not yet. Audacy walks away as the obvious winner, gaining reach without sacrificing anything meaningful. SiriusXM, meanwhile, gains a library of respected local brands without an obvious path to new revenue.
Maybe that’s fine. Maybe SiriusXM views this as a long-term relationship-building move, one that pays off in ways that aren’t immediately visible. Or maybe it’s simply a low-risk experiment worth running.
Either way, the industry should watch closely. If this partnership does move the needle for SiriusXM, expect similar local-content deals to multiply quickly across the audio landscape.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.