EPISODE · Apr 11, 2026 · 27 MIN
Selling Violence: Marketing Combat Sports
from Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
This week, we look at the marketing of violent sports.Starting with a man named Tex Rickard, who wrote the playbook on fight promotion back in the 1920s.We’ll analyze how WWE pro wrestling took a page from Rickard to create spectacles.And we look at the phenomenon that is the UFC – and how mixed martial arts promotion can be carbon-dated all the way back to Rickard in the ‘20s.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What this episode covers
This week, we look at the marketing of violent sports.Starting with a man named Tex Rickard, who wrote the playbook on fight promotion back in the 1920s.We’ll analyze how WWE pro wrestling took a page from Rickard to create spectacles.And we look at the phenomenon that is the UFC – and how mixed martial arts promotion can be carbon-dated all the way back to Rickard in the ‘20s.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Selling Violence: Marketing Combat Sports
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