SiriusXM says WWE Radio listenership up nearly 20% since July rebrand
SiriusXM chief executive Jennifer Witz told investors the company’s rebranded wrestling channel, WWE Radio, has increased its audience by almost 20% since replacing Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 in July.
SiriusXM reported audience gains for its rebranded wrestling channel during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, with CEO Jennifer Witz saying listening to WWE Radio has climbed by roughly 20 percent since the service switched over from Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 in July.
The channel remains anchored by Busted Open Radio and now carries WWE’s podcasts, audio simulcasts of Raw, SmackDown and NXT, plus original pay-per-view commentary. SiriusXM also reported a separate rise in monthly active sports listeners, which Witz said increased about four percent year-over-year across connected-car and streaming platforms.
The partnership with WWE has provoked criticism from some listeners due to programming changes. Busted Open no longer covers All Elite Wrestling, and AEW wrestler Thunder Rosa is no longer listed among the Busted Open co-hosts. SiriusXM has continued to include interviews and segments featuring independent wrestlers and talent from TNA.
Dave LaGreca, the main host of Busted Open Radio, has publicly maintained that his approach to the show will remain consistent under the WWE arrangement and has said WWE leadership encouraged him to stay true to his style rather than turning the program into promotional content.
Other hosts featured on the channel include Sam Roberts and Peter Rosenberg. Pay-per-view commentary on the station is handled by Vic Joseph and Booker T.
The comments by Witz and the programming details were disclosed on SiriusXM’s Q3 earnings call. F4WOnline reported the company’s overview of the channel’s performance and the surrounding listener reaction to the WWE partnership.
