Selling Violence: Marketing Combat Sports

Selling Violence: Marketing Combat Sports

From Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly by Apostrophe Podcast Network

April 11, 2026 · 28 min · Season 15 · Episode 14

About this episode

This episode explores the marketing strategies behind violent sports, tracing their origins to Tex Rickard and examining the influence on WWE and UFC.

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.

People in this episode

Host: Terry O'Reilly

Topics covered

  • marketing
  • combat sports
  • WWE
  • UFC
  • fight promotion
  • Tex Rickard

Keywords

  • marketing
  • combat sports
  • Tex Rickard
  • WWE
  • UFC
  • fight promotion
  • violence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: WWE, UFC, Acast

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