The beginnings of professional wrestling date back to the late 19th century. What once was considered a variety act to spice up local strongman competitions has now turned into one of the most successful entertainment forms in the world. Yet despite its rise to prominence, many have never given the art form recognition among the other major sports in America. It has always carried a stigma because the outcome of the performance is staged, no matter how physical the performance may be.
With time, change happens. The stigmas surrounding professional wrestling have gradually subsided. Today, professional wrestling participates in many sections of sports media like any other sport. Busted Open Radio on SiriusXM was far ahead of the curve in recognizing the passion for professional wrestling coverage.
Formed in 2009, the program quickly built an audience and has grown into one of the more respected morning programs in radio today. That growth recently reached another milestone when Busted Open Radio became the first professional wrestling program to rank in Barrett Media’s latest national sports radio show rankings.
“It means a lot to us. When I started the show, I structured it around sports talk radio because I grew up on sports talk radio,” said Dave La Greca, host of Busted Open Radio. “The fact that it’s now being recognized up there with some of the best mainstream sports talk radio shows. It means a lot because that was the goal from the beginning.”
La Greca hosts the weekday morning show alongside a roster of Hall of Fame talent from the squared circle. Notable names such as Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer co-host alongside La Greca, providing the wrestler’s point of view alongside the fan perspective.
Why Wrestling Works
The program features debate and discussion covering every aspect of the professional wrestling business. From storylines to headlines, Busted Open Radio provides the debate and analysis found on any nationally recognized sports talk program.
“I listened to sports talk radio growing up, but I was never a fan of sports talk on television,” explains Bully Ray. “When I came across Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless, what drew me in was the passion in which they spoke about everything. That’s the dynamic that me and Dave [La Greca] personally have and what I feel fans are interested in.”
While contributing to Busted Open Radio, both Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer remain involved with wrestling promotions throughout the year. That access provides insights wrestling fans can’t get anywhere else.
“Our discussions are sports radio. We engage with our audience, and Bully and I are able to explain why fan ideas may or may not work,” explained Dreamer. “The business has been on fire. WWE did more money [revenue] than UFC in a quarter. The media rights are massive, and every platform is engaging. With Busted Open Radio, the fans now have a platform where they can come and talk about what they see.”
The business of professional wrestling is indeed strong. Last year alone, WWE generated $1.709 billion in revenue, a $311.3 million increase year over year. It marked a milestone year for wrestling, with interest and revenue also trickling down to other promotions looking to compete for a share of the professional wrestling pie.
Much of that revenue stems from the passion of wrestling fans around the world. With programming available nearly every weeknight, networks have also seen the impact that broadcasting professional wrestling can have.
“A lot of people in sports talk radio don’t understand how loyal of a fanbase we have with Busted Open Radio,” notes Bully Ray. “I remember people telling us our listeners only tune in for 7-8 minutes at a time. No, they don’t. I tell people our listeners are there for all three hours. I’ve been laughed at while saying that. Our show is not in the radio business; we’re in the pro wrestling business. Pro wrestling fans are loyal till the end and can’t get enough.”
Busting Through Mainstream
Last year, SiriusXM invested in that wrestling fan loyalty by launching the first 24/7 channel on the platform dedicated to professional wrestling discussion, Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7. The channel was a brainchild of Busted Open’s Dave La Greca, leveraging the power of social media and passionate wrestling fans to create a one-of-a-kind home for wrestling discussion any time, anywhere.
“If you’re listening to a national mainstream sports radio show, fans have their favorites. There’s no favoritism with professional wrestling,” said La Greca. “Wrestling fans want to consume as much content as possible, because there is no favoritism.”
Every weeknight features professional wrestling on television. Just like traditional sports, there is always something new to discuss the following morning on Busted Open Radio. With a fanbase this passionate and wrestling headlines consistently trending, the conversation rarely stops.
That raises the question of why more traditional sports radio programs haven’t embraced professional wrestling coverage in the same way Busted Open Radio has on SiriusXM.
“Some people still have a preconceived notion about professional wrestling. A lot of it revolves around the F-word, it’s fake. Well, it’s no different than your wife’s orgasm. Only she really knows,” says Bully Ray. “Wrestling is hotter, and always has been hotter, than just about any professional sport.”
With action taking place almost every night, every morning provides fresh material to discuss with the audience. No promotion is an outlier, although the biggest storylines still drive the conversation.
Passion Meets Connection
La Greca’s sports radio background gives him a clear understanding that fan interest ultimately drives the daily discussion.
That approach explains why Busted Open Radio connects with so many listeners across the country. The show focuses on what the audience wants while providing an escape from reality every weekday morning.
“Busted Open Radio has always brought people together even in times when we couldn’t be together,” says Dreamer referring to a Zoom meet up with listeners in 2020, which ended up crashing the server for the meet up itself. “It’s that connection. For myself, I used to get love for what I did in ECW [Extreme Championship Wrestling]. Now I get people who love listening to me on the radio. Dave La Greca and Busted Open gave me a whole new career, and something I never thought about doing.”
Success for Busted Open Radio is no different from any other sports radio program on the platform. A channel or show’s success begins and ends in the fans it brings in through paid subscriptions.
“We’re all very motivated. This was Dave’s vision from day one. It’s only grown into now cracking Barrett Media’s top 20 national rankings,” said Bully Ray. “We mean a lot to SiriusXM because people buy full subscriptions because they want to listen to Busted Open Radio… There are so many fans out there that have told SiriusXM executives if they get rid of us, they’re canceling their subscription. That’s loyalty and what keeps us going.”
The Next Show
What began as a show that was only supposed to air once a week has become something much bigger. Busted Open Radio now serves as a case study for how far professional wrestling has come, evolving from an outcast to a legitimate contender in the broader sports conversation.
“I have this motto on my wall. It says, ‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’ That’s what I see last before turning on my computer to begin the day,” said La Greca. “Any bit of recognition was a win for us because at the beginning we weren’t recognized. For me, to see us rank on the Barrett Media list is probably the biggest recognition we’ve ever had since starting the show.”
For decades, professional wrestling fought for legitimacy in the broader sports conversation. Today, the industry is thriving. The voices covering it are finally being heard alongside the biggest names in sports media.
Busted Open Radio didn’t wait for that acceptance. It built its own lane long before the rest of the industry realized how passionate wrestling fans truly are.
Now, with a spot in the national sports radio rankings, the show stands as proof of something La Greca believed from the start: if you respect the audience and talk about wrestling with the same passion and seriousness as any other sport, the fans will show up.
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