The Good Ol’ Days – Hobo Jim Singing the Iditarod Song at the 2020 Musher Banquet

We all remember when bubbles were wobbly iridescent spheres that floated forth from a magic little wand that was dipped in soap and waved in the air.  Over the past year, BUBBLE has taken on new meaning – a transparent enclosure that protects from danger (disease) and unpleasant reality (COVID-19).  This new bubble has brought much needed pleasure to our COVID fatigued society.  In the sporting world it’s saved professional basketball, baseball, football, hockey and IDITAROD! 

The reality of the bubble is that we won’t be up close to the action.  For all that matter we probably won’t even be in Alaska.  We’ll be watching and reading and in my case writing from home.  But there is a plan in place! 

Traditionally, we’d gather at the Dena’ina Center in downtown Anchorage on Thursday evening of race week for the musher meet and greet, banquet and bib draw where mushers would be called up front to reach into the mukluk for a numbered disc to determine their starting position.  Instead the event will now be a free, pre-race broadcast featuring profiles of the 47 competing mushers.  Race analysts, Greg Heister and Bruce Lee will also give an overview of this year’s race including key strategic aspects of the 852-mile Iditarod Gold Trail Loop. 

Iditarod and the celebrated Insider Crew have put together an exciting line-up of programming to bring the race virtually to spectators and spectators virtually to the race.  Below is a schedule of broadcasts for the days leading up to the start of Iditarod XLIX and the actual start from Deshka Landing.  NOTE:  Times listed are Alaska times.  Please adjust for your time zone.

Iditarod Broadcast Schedule

• Free: Thursday, March 4
  • Pre-race show on Iditarod.com – 5 p.m.
    • Musher profiles, commentary from Iditarod analysts Greg Heister and Bruce Lee
• Insider Subscribers: Friday, March 5
  • Rookie Musher Panel – 4 p.m.
    • Sean Underwood, Brenda Mackey, Hal Hanson, Sean Williams
  • Women in Mushing Panel – 5 p.m.
    • DeeDee Jonrowe, Aliy Zirkle, champion Libby Riddles
• Insider Subscribers: Saturday, March 6
  • Champions of Iditarod Panel – 5 p.m.
    • Dallas Seavey, Martin Buser, Jeff King, Doug Swingley, Mitch Seavey
• Free: Sunday, March 7
  • Iditarod live start from Deshka Landing on Iditarod.com – 1:30 p.m.

If you’d like to hear Sean Underwood tell the story of encountering deep overflow and scratching just before Safety last race, then the Rookie Musher Panel is a must see.  If you appreciate the women of the Iditarod who are exception role models for girls and women, then the Women in Mushing Panel is for you.  The Champions of Iditarod Panel will appeal to race fans who appreciate the incredible feat of mushers who have of claimed not one but MULTIPLE Iditarod crowns.

Bib draw was completed a week prior to the race using a digital order generator to randomly select names for the official start order still taking into account the two separate draw batches based on when mushers signed up for the race.  To view bib numbers for Iditarod XLIX, click here on START ORDER.  The mukluk normally used at the bib draw never came off the shelf this year but it’s ready for the 50th running of Iditarod in 2022. 

Right now Iditarod 49 is upon us!  The mushers, dogs, volunteers and veterinarians are prepared and ready for an exceptional and unique race.  Watch, be up to date on all the happenings and enjoy the race from the comforts of home.  The Insider Crew is ready to bring the race to you!  Don’t miss the great pre-race broadcasts and watch live as the teams depart from Deshka Landing on Sunday March 7th.