Full Breakdown
SiriusXM Unveils $5-a-Month “Sports Pass” for U.S. Listeners
7/30/2026, 9:21:04 PM
Core Event: Launch of a Dedicated Sports Subscription
SiriusXM announced a new “Sports Pass” that will bundle its entire sports audio lineup into a single, low-cost offering. The plan becomes available to new U.S. subscribers on September 1 for $5 per month or $49 per year. The package promises live coverage of every National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), and National Hockey League (NHL) game, all NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula 1 races, PGA Tour events, major golf championships, WWE premium events, and a broad slate of college and international sports.
Background & Context
SiriusXM already markets several tiered plans: an all-music tier at $11.99 / month, an all-access tier at $25.99 / month (including streaming-only option at $11.99), and a combined news, talk and sports tier at $14.99 / month. The new Sports Pass follows a broader industry trend in which pay-TV and streaming services have introduced sports-only bundles (e.g., DIRECTV, Fubo, YouTube TV) to give fans a focused, affordable option.
Timeline
- July 29 2026 – SiriusXM issues a press release announcing the Sports Pass and its pricing.
- September 1 – The subscription launches, coinciding with the start of the NFL regular season and Week 1 of college football.
Data & Statistics
- Pricing: $5 / month or $49 / year for new subscribers.
- Content breadth: Access to every major-league game (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) and all major motorsports events (NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1).
- Additional events: PGA Tour tournaments, major golf championships, WWE premium live events (including WrestleMania).
- Channel lineup: Hundreds of channels, including exclusive league-specific stations (Mad Dog Sports Radio, SiriusXM NFL Radio, MLB Network Radio, etc.), national sports networks (ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, NBC Sports Radio, Westwood One Sports, VSiN), and the newly added WWE Radio.
- Local stations: 22 market-specific Audacy stations such as WFAN (New York), ESPN LA 710 (Los Angeles), 97.1 The Fan (Los Angeles), 104.3 The Score (Chicago), and others across major U.S. cities.
- Delivery: Available via in-car satellite tuners, the SiriusXM app, and Internet-connected 360L tuners.
Official Statements & Responses
The company framed the launch as a response to the “always-on” habits of sports fans, noting that the average U.S. fan spends more than six hours listening to audio daily—over two hours more than the average American.
Why It Matters
The Sports Pass positions SiriusXM to capture a segment of listeners who prioritize live sports over music or talk programming. By pricing the bundle well below the existing All Access tier, SiriusXM aims to boost subscriber growth and engagement, especially among commuters and car-based listeners who value in-vehicle audio. The inclusion of both national and local stations also broadens appeal across regional fan bases.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Every new channel, artist performance, live event, and creator collaboration advances our vision for the future of audio: making SiriusXM a home for fandom, where listeners can go deeper into the things they love and feel part of a lasting community,” — Jennifer Witz, siriusxm CEO
What's Next
SiriusXM will report its second-quarter earnings on the Thursday following the launch, which may provide early insight into subscriber uptake and revenue impact.
