I don't think that's an issue. His morning show is killing in the ratings for the 2 markets he's in. With the sad state of affairs in testicle-less radio, I bet they're chomping at the bit to get him where they can expand his syndication. Sirius is stupid if they let him go.
I wonder who brings in more subs - Martha, Oprah or Mad Dog?
I'm not sure it matters who brings in more subs at this point, satellite radio has put it eggs into Howard's nest. Somehow or another Sirius felt that Chris deserved a three year deal worthy of 3 million dollars. It is possible that Chris Russo will be broadcasting new shows on satellite after Howard has stopped doing any live shows for satellite. It is also possible that both Martha Stewart and Oprah will no longer have a presence on satellite once their contracts run out.
If satellite wants their services they will pay them, if not, they won't. The only people that know anything close to why people joined up or what they listen to are the same people that decide who gets paid at the end of the day and who will continue to have a presence on satellite.
My guess is that they will beg and plead for Howard to stay,
but not with anything resembling close to the current type of contract. Maybe without Howard there would only be five million people interested in satellite radio, but without his contract weighing them down, perhaps that would be sufficient enough to keep satellite alive. Perhaps Howard had fulfilled his obligations to making satellite more of a household name, perhaps that is his legacy.
I don't buy into the idea that he saved satellite...he only saved Sirius Satellite Radio. There were millions of subscribers to satellite radio before Howard made his inevitable move to Sirius, they were at XM Satellite Radio. Perhaps Bubba's big pay day will come in two years when Howard finally makes good on his running joke about wanting to get out of radio. Perhaps then and only then will it be possible for others to join the satellite fold and fill the gap
again that will exist when he leaves.