Live Audio Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Live Audio Wrestling is a radio show, syndicated on conventional radio and previously broadcast on satellite radio
and as a podcast
, based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
, and is owned by Fight Network. The show is broadcast live
at 12:00am (ET)
on Monday mornings (although advertised as Sunday evenings), on TSN Radio 1050. The format of The LAW is a call in radio show
. Opinions are expressed by hosts The Mouth Dan Lovranski, Jason Agnew and producer John Pollock focusing on the Mixed Martial Arts
and Pro Wrestling world.
Every week since the winter of 1999, Dave Meltzer
of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has joined the show. The segment, which airs at the mid-point of the show, focuses on the major themes and issues of the week.
The first guest of The LAW was Faarooq
. The show aired online for a year and a half before moving to The Fan 590 in Toronto.
games, as The Fan 590 was not permitted by the NBA to broadcast basketball
games on the internet. In an effort to obtain studio time, the show would be taped at 3:00am. However, due to the overwhelming support of listeners, within a few months the show moved onto The Fan 590's conventional airwaves and into their permanent schedule, airing on Sunday evenings from 1:00am–3:00am (although the show would be constantly pre-empted for coverage and post-game coverage of the Toronto Maple Leafs
, Toronto Raptors
and NHL playoff games). In the fall of 1999, the show expanded with a Saturday afternoon edition, from 5:00pm–6:30pm.
games. The Sunday broadcast was moved from to 11:00pm. In April 2001, CFYI changed the station's format to Mojo Radio - Talk Radio For Guys, and The LAW 's Saturday afternoon edition was dropped. The show remained in the 11pm Sunday time slot when CFYI was again re-branded as AM 640 - Toronto Radio.
purchased a majority stake in The LAW and in February of that same year they announced that they had secured an agreement with Broadcast News for national distribution the program, via Fight Network Radio
.
to Newstalk CFRB in Toronto
and retained its 11pm time-slot. In the fall of 2006, Live Audio Wrestling announced that in the future, the show would begin to air a simulcast
of the show on The Fight Network
, however the announcement never came to fruition.
to Sirius Satellite Radio
's Hardcore Sports Radio. CFRB's studios also served as the broadcast studio for the show, so with the move to exclusively being on Sirius
the broadcast home has moved as well. The show would continue to bill itself as Fight Network Radio
even though the actual network of stations that consisted of Fight Network Radio has dissolved. As a result, the phrase Fight Network Radio became a slogan for The Fight Network
and shows which the station broadcasts that do not air on TV. During the show's tenure on satellite radio, the show maintained its Sunday 11pm time-slot. The show remained on Sirius Channel 98 when Hardcore Sports Radio was rebranded in September 2010 as The Score Satellite Radio, and remained after the station was reshuffled on Sirius to Channel 158.
wrestling(Review-a-Raw and Review-an-Impact, respectively).
's Hardcore Sports Radio ceasing operations at the end of August, 2011, The LAW became displaced and was without a broadcast home. As such, the show took to a Podcast format available on the Fight Network website and posted online after 11pm on Sunday evenings. The show maintained its previous format, except for the elimination of call-ins. The last Podcast episode was October 3, 2011.
, partnered via an agreement between The Fight Network
and Broadcast News, that aired The LAW. The conventional radio stations on Fight Network Radio at its time of dissolution included:
The show was available nationally in Canada
on both nationally licensed satellite
distributors, Shaw Direct and Bell TV through the radio streams of Fight Network Radio affiliates:
In addition, Live Audio Wrestling aired on Sirius
Satellite Radio
on channel 186 - Hardcore Sports Radio. This station would continue to air Live Audio Wrestling when the show moved from conventional radio. Moreover, some local cable TV providers, including Rogers Cable
, offered Fight Network Radio affiliate stations as audio streams via digital cable
or cable radio
. When the show was on CFRB in the Greater Toronto Area
, it was available on Rogers Cable
channel 960.
Additionally, Live Audio Wrestling has previously aired on an online radio station, Virtually Canadian.
market, in its time slot. In April 2006, The Bureau of Broadcast Measurement released their spring ratings with The LAW ranking #1 among Males 25 - 49 on Sunday nights with an 18.7 share and also scoring a 17.8 share among Males 18 – 34.
's Off the Record
has had all past and current co-hosts of the radio program, excluding John Pollock, as guest panelists on the program, over the years.
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
and as a podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
, based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and is owned by Fight Network. The show is broadcast live
Live radio
Live radio is radio broadcast without delay. Before the days of television, audiences listened to live dramas, comedies, quiz shows, and concerts on the radio much the same way that they now do on TV. Most talk radio is live radio where people can speak about their opinions/lives....
at 12:00am (ET)
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on Monday mornings (although advertised as Sunday evenings), on TSN Radio 1050. The format of The LAW is a call in radio show
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
. Opinions are expressed by hosts The Mouth Dan Lovranski, Jason Agnew and producer John Pollock focusing on the Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
and Pro Wrestling world.
Every week since the winter of 1999, Dave Meltzer
Dave Meltzer
David A. Meltzer is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford has praised Meltzer's work, saying that "Meltzer, I believe, is the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." Meltzer has written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles...
of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has joined the show. The segment, which airs at the mid-point of the show, focuses on the major themes and issues of the week.
Beginning: Virtually Canadian
Live Audio Wrestling started in May 1997 as an internet radio show available in Canada, on Virtually Canadian.The first guest of The LAW was Faarooq
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
. The show aired online for a year and a half before moving to The Fan 590 in Toronto.
Move to CJCL
Initially, the show's broadcast was only available as alternate programming during Toronto RaptorToronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
games, as The Fan 590 was not permitted by the NBA to broadcast basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
games on the internet. In an effort to obtain studio time, the show would be taped at 3:00am. However, due to the overwhelming support of listeners, within a few months the show moved onto The Fan 590's conventional airwaves and into their permanent schedule, airing on Sunday evenings from 1:00am–3:00am (although the show would be constantly pre-empted for coverage and post-game coverage of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
and NHL playoff games). In the fall of 1999, the show expanded with a Saturday afternoon edition, from 5:00pm–6:30pm.
Move to CFYI
The LAW aired on The Fan 590 until September 2000 when it moved to rival station Talk 640 as a companion to the station's recently acquired radio broadcasts of Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
games. The Sunday broadcast was moved from to 11:00pm. In April 2001, CFYI changed the station's format to Mojo Radio - Talk Radio For Guys, and The LAW 's Saturday afternoon edition was dropped. The show remained in the 11pm Sunday time slot when CFYI was again re-branded as AM 640 - Toronto Radio.
The Fight Network buys majority interest in The LAW
In January 2005, The Fight NetworkThe Fight Network
Fight Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel devoted to airing programming related to wrestling, boxing, mixed martial arts, and other combatant styles...
purchased a majority stake in The LAW and in February of that same year they announced that they had secured an agreement with Broadcast News for national distribution the program, via Fight Network Radio
Fight Network Radio
Fight Network Radio may refer to:*Fight Network Radio *Fight Network Radio...
.
Move to CFRB
In July 2006, The LAW moved its base stationBase station
The term base station can be used in the context of land surveying and wireless communications.- Land surveying :In the context of external land surveying, a base station is a GPS receiver at an accurately-known fixed location which is used to derive correction information for nearby portable GPS...
to Newstalk CFRB in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and retained its 11pm time-slot. In the fall of 2006, Live Audio Wrestling announced that in the future, the show would begin to air a simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
of the show on The Fight Network
The Fight Network
Fight Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel devoted to airing programming related to wrestling, boxing, mixed martial arts, and other combatant styles...
, however the announcement never came to fruition.
Live Audio Xtra
Starting in the winter of 2007, John Pollock began to host an extended, online edition of The LAW called Live Audio Xtra. The segment is available to those who listen to the archived edition of the show on The LAW website, as an add-on to the original radio production. Shortly after its launch, Dan Lovranski began to co-host the segment, answering e-mail questions. Starting with the January 20th 2008 edition, Live Audio Xtra began to take call-in questions from listeners who were unable to get on the air during the radio portion of the program. This segment of the show was discontinued for a brief period of time, but returned to The LAW in 2011.Move to Satellite Radio
The last episode of the show to air on CFRB was on January 11, 2009. As a result, the show moved from a conventional radio broadcast home in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
's Hardcore Sports Radio. CFRB's studios also served as the broadcast studio for the show, so with the move to exclusively being on Sirius
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
the broadcast home has moved as well. The show would continue to bill itself as Fight Network Radio
Fight Network Radio
Fight Network Radio may refer to:*Fight Network Radio *Fight Network Radio...
even though the actual network of stations that consisted of Fight Network Radio has dissolved. As a result, the phrase Fight Network Radio became a slogan for The Fight Network
The Fight Network
Fight Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel devoted to airing programming related to wrestling, boxing, mixed martial arts, and other combatant styles...
and shows which the station broadcasts that do not air on TV. During the show's tenure on satellite radio, the show maintained its Sunday 11pm time-slot. The show remained on Sirius Channel 98 when Hardcore Sports Radio was rebranded in September 2010 as The Score Satellite Radio, and remained after the station was reshuffled on Sirius to Channel 158.
Review-a-Wai
On September 13, 2009, John Pollock and Wai Ting started hosting their own weekly review podcast, which immediately follows the archived episode of "The LAW". The two primarily review old wrestling Pay-Per-Views from WCW or WWF (now WWE) from the mid- to late- 90s, but have branched out to review wrestling related films, tv shows and specials. They intersperse audio clips from the show(s) they are reviewing; and also respond to feedback after the review. On occasion, they air relevant clips from previous interviews conducted with various wrestling personalities. Notable episodes include October 11's "Heroes of Wrestling (1999) including an interview with Executive Producer Bill Stone" review, January 31's "Exposed - Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets (1998)" review, and May 16's "Final Monday Nitro and Raw is War from that night (2001)" review. In 2010 the show branched out and began reviewing the flagship television shows of the WWE and TNATNA
TNA may refer to:*Tamil National Alliance, a political coalition in Sri Lanka*The National Archives, in the United Kingdom*The New Amsterdams, a band*Threose nucleic acid, an analog of the nucleic acid DNA*Tonga Nurses' Association...
wrestling(Review-a-Raw and Review-an-Impact, respectively).
Move to Podcast
With the announcement of Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
's Hardcore Sports Radio ceasing operations at the end of August, 2011, The LAW became displaced and was without a broadcast home. As such, the show took to a Podcast format available on the Fight Network website and posted online after 11pm on Sunday evenings. The show maintained its previous format, except for the elimination of call-ins. The last Podcast episode was October 3, 2011.
Move to CHUM
On October 9, 2011, The LAW debuted on TSN Radio 1050. Due to TSN Radio 1050 airing NFL Sunday Night Football, the show will move an hour later, to a 12:00am start time on Monday mornings.Fight Network Radio
Fight Network Radio was a group of conventional radio stations in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, partnered via an agreement between The Fight Network
The Fight Network
Fight Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel devoted to airing programming related to wrestling, boxing, mixed martial arts, and other combatant styles...
and Broadcast News, that aired The LAW. The conventional radio stations on Fight Network Radio at its time of dissolution included:
- The Team 1040 - VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
- Note: Live Audio Wrestling airs on a 5 hour tape delayBroadcast delayIn radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical...
, at 12:00am–2:00am (PTPacific Time ZoneThe Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
) on Monday Mornings. - The Team 1260CFRN (AM)CFRN is a Canadian clear-channel radio station in Edmonton, Alberta. Owned by Astral Media and broadcasting at 1260 kHz on the AM radio dial, the station airs an all-sports format, branded as The Team 1260...
- EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... - CFRB 1010 - TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
- The Team 1200 - OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
The show was available nationally in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on both nationally licensed satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
distributors, Shaw Direct and Bell TV through the radio streams of Fight Network Radio affiliates:
- Bell TV
- The Team 1200 - Channel 991
- The Fan 960 - Channel 992
- Shaw Direct
- The Team 1040 - Channel 824
In addition, Live Audio Wrestling aired on Sirius
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
Satellite Radio
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
on channel 186 - Hardcore Sports Radio. This station would continue to air Live Audio Wrestling when the show moved from conventional radio. Moreover, some local cable TV providers, including Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable Inc., a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., is Canada's largest cable television service provider with about 2.25 million television customers, and over 930,000 Internet subscribers, in Manitoba, Southern & Eastern Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.The...
, offered Fight Network Radio affiliate stations as audio streams via digital cable
Digital cable
Digital cable is a generic term for any type of cable television distribution using digital video compression or distribution. The technology was originally developed by Motorola.-Background:...
or cable radio
Cable radio
Cable radio or cable FM is a concept similar to that of cable television, bringing radio signals into homes and businesses via coaxial cable. It is generally used as cable TV was in its early days when it was "community antenna television", to enhance the quality of terrestrial radio signals that...
. When the show was on CFRB in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
, it was available on Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable
Rogers Cable Inc., a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., is Canada's largest cable television service provider with about 2.25 million television customers, and over 930,000 Internet subscribers, in Manitoba, Southern & Eastern Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.The...
channel 960.
Live Audio Wrestling
Former affiliates of Live Audio Wrestling include:- The Fan 590 - TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
- Note: The LAW aired from the fall 1998 to winter 1999 only on the online radio stream, during internet blackouts of the Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion... - Talk 640/Mojo Radio/AM 640CFMJ (AM)CFMJ is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 640 kHz on the AM dial. It is officially licensed to Richmond Hill, Ontario, but the studio is in the newly-constructed Corus Quay building, located at 125 Queens Quay East in Toronto...
- TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Additionally, Live Audio Wrestling has previously aired on an online radio station, Virtually Canadian.
Fight Network Radio
Former affiliates of Fight Network Radio also included- Mojo Radio- VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
- CJOB - WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
Former Hosts
Former co-hosts of the show include:- Trish StratusTrish StratusPatricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
- 1999 - Notorious T.I.D. Chris Tidwell - 1997-1999
- Big Daddy Donnie Abreu - 1997-2000
- Gentleman Jeff MarekJeff MarekJeff Marek is a television personality and radio host, for properties originating from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Jeff has hosted Live Audio Wrestling, Leafs Lunch and the The Jeff Marek Show, as well as making notable television appearances on TSN Off The Record and Leafs TV After the...
- 1997-2003
Popularity
The show is ranked #1 in the demographic of male, on talk radio in the TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
market, in its time slot. In April 2006, The Bureau of Broadcast Measurement released their spring ratings with The LAW ranking #1 among Males 25 - 49 on Sunday nights with an 18.7 share and also scoring a 17.8 share among Males 18 – 34.
Trivia
Due to the popularity of the show, TSNThe Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
's Off the Record
Off The Record (TSN TV series)
Off the Record with Michael Landsberg, a.k.a. Off the Record or OTR, is a Canadian sports talk show on TSN hosted by Michael Landsberg...
has had all past and current co-hosts of the radio program, excluding John Pollock, as guest panelists on the program, over the years.