By JOE REEDY
Pro wrestling has gone from a once a week show on SiriusXM to having its own channel.
The satellite radio provider announced Thursday that Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 will take over Channel 156 beginning Tuesday.
Channel 156 has been SiriusXM Fight Nation, which has carried pro wrestling, MMA and boxing shows.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” said Dave LaGreca, the longtime host of “Busted Open,” which started as a one-hour weekly show in 2009. “I really owe it to our fans. They’ve really been dedicated and asked for this for years. It’s a dream come true to actually see it form. And now, it’s about to happen.”
“Busted Open” expanded to five days a week in 2018 before going to six days one year later. It will have a live episode seven days a week from 9 a.m.-noon EDT on the new channel featuring LaGreca with wrestling stars Bully Ray, Mark Henry and Tommy Dreamer.
The show has appealed to fans of both WWE and AEW with video clips of interviews getting plenty of engagement on social media.
The channel’s daily lineup will also feature programs from Sam Roberts, Peter Rosenberg, Jonathan Coachman, Natalya and Matt Cardona.
Five nights a week there will be a “Busted Open After Dark” program, where fans can call in and react after WWE and AEW shows.
“The great thing is we’re not associated with WWE or AEW, so we can give our honest opinion about both products,” said LaGreca, who signed a multi-year extension with SiriusXM. “The fact that there is a little bit of tension between those two companies and even the fans, it makes it even better for what we’re doing on air. The fact that there are more companies that are succeeding at record-breaking levels is even better for our brand, and the big reason why we’re going 24/7.”
Pro wrestling also can claim — at least on satellite radio — for being on an level playing field with professional sports leagues and major college conferences in having a dedicated channel.
“The appetite for wrestling content continues to increase, and we’re able to uniquely meet the demand of those fans by delivering a new 24/7 channel just for them,” said Jared Fox, SiriusXM’s Senior Vice President for Sports Programming, Content Marketing & Partnerships, and Artist Relations. “We have a long track record of building dedicated sports channels that fans love.”
LaGreca said he is hoping to add more analysts as well as continue to seek input from fans on possible additions or lineup changes.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Originally Published:
