Is it even possible for Super Bowl Sunday to be ruined by satellites crashing to the earth? The Associated Press is reporting that “A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and propulsion and could hit the Earth in late February or March, government officials said Saturday. The satellite, which no longer be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret.”
The odds are 9 to 2 that the U.S. spy satellite will land in North America if it does not hit the ocean. After reports surfaced that a spy satellite will slam into earth, online sportsbook BetUs.com posted odds on what location the satellite will come down in and which day it will hit the earth. Super Bowl Sunday is listed at 11 to 2 odds as being the day of the week that it crashes to earth.
What would you do if you were planning on watching the big game on Super Bowl Sunday at a bar that only had the NFL Sunday Ticket on DirectTV and the coverage goes out with 2 minutes left in the game, Eli Manning driving and your nickel’s riding on the New York Giants money line at +375 odds? Or your out camping in the middle of no where, listening to SIRIUS Satellite Radio’s NFL coverage when it goes out as the ball is snapped with no time on the clock and your two team parlay is riding on a New England Patriots field goal to cash for two dimes?
I hope you do not think that SIRIUS or XM Satellite Radio subscribers are immune to satellites losing power and crashing back to Earth, but this is no reason to cancel your subscriptions. Over time, this will probably happen but it won’t cause outages, the biggest question is when it will happen and where it will land. The odds on it taking down broadcasters is doubtful since they tend to have redundant systems in place to prevent long term outages, but it is possible for there to be some downtime if one of their satellites broke down in the middle of a game.
SIRIUS Satellite Radio is an official partner of the NFL and provides the most comprehensive radio coverage available on Super Bowl XLII. Subscribers will be able to listen to 12 live broadcasts featuring game calls in eight languages, an increase from the 11 broadcasts and seven languages SIRIUS aired for Super Bowl XLI in Miami last year, plus live day-long news and expert analysis every day of Super Bowl Week.
"The NFL is one of the cornerstones of SIRIUS' programming and our Super Bowl broadcasts will provide fans unparalleled access to the year's biggest sporting event," said SIRIUS CEO Mel Karmazin. "SIRIUS NFL Radio will feature comprehensive coverage of Super Bowl Week and fans across the country can follow the game in several different languages."
This year, the stakes are even higher since viewers and listeners will be witnessing history as the New England Patriots attempt to go 19-0 and enter the record books as one of two teams that were undefeated after winning the Super Bowl, the other of which was the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Could you imagine the chaos that would ensue on Super Bowl Sunday if a broadcasters satellite when down?
The merger approval process for XM Satellite Radio and Sirius may be one step closer to receiving a “approved” stamp from regulators after an announcement that online radio service Last.fm will offer free streaming music from all four major labels and countless indies. A program is also in place to monetize uploads from unsigned artists. Just in case coverage goes down, feel free to listen to Super Bowl Sunday coverage on NFL.com’s Field Pass.
BetUs.com has posted odds on where the satellite will land?
Land: 2/1
Water: 1/3
If the satellite does not land in the ocean where?
Europe: 12/1
Asia: 11/5
Africa: 7/2
North America: 9/2
South America: 7/1
Oceania: 14/1
Antarctic: 10/1
What day will it impact?
Monday: 11/2
Tuesday: 11/2
Wednesday: 11/2
Thursday: 11/2
Friday: 11/2
Saturday: 11/2
Sunday: 11/2
