Ted Turner forever changed the way we consume sports

We live in an on-demand entertainment society, so it may be hard for younger generations to grasp the following concept. There was a time when sports weren’t as easily accessible as they are now. In fact, watching an out-of-town team during the regular season was a rare treat and considered appointment television.

Ted Turner helped change that. By buying the Atlanta Braves in 1976 and putting them on his Turner Broadcasting System in 1977, he permanently altered how we consume sports. The Chicago Cubs followed suit with WGN in 1978.

This idea may seem quaint now, but Turner was a pioneer. Never before could a national audience regularly tune in to watch a team’s games. You no longer had to settle for local broadcasts or the national game of the week. 

Hooray, freedom of choice.

The “superstation” TBS used satellite technology to broadcast its feed across America. However, it wasn’t until the massive rise of cable television in the 1980s that the Braves’ impact on national TV was truly felt. Suddenly, millions had access to Braves games, and Turner started calling his franchise “America’s Team.” It seems Turner might have “borrowed” that label from the Dallas Cowboys. Still, Turner did things that the attention-hungry Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, could only dream of.

Ted Turner became the face of the franchise. He didn’t stay in a suite or the owner’s box. In 1977, he famously named himself the Braves’ manager for one game. The move was so shocking that Major League Baseball told him never to do it again. Instead, Turner sat prominently in the stands, right above the Braves’ dugout. Later, he did so with his then-wife, superstar actress Jane Fonda. 

The brash attitude and showmanship were needed. Atlanta was on national TV during the regular season but rarely in the postseason. During Turner’s first 15 seasons as owner, the Braves made only one playoff appearance. Yet a generation of young fans grew up watching those teams struggle and stayed loyal. They were finally rewarded when the Braves went from last place in the National League in 1990 to reaching the World Series in 1991.

The Braves’ run from 1991 to 2005 helped solidify their status as America’s Team and established TBS as a cable broadcasting powerhouse. Your average sports fan knew players like Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, and Bobby Cox because they were always on TV.

The Braves finally won the World Series in 1995, and a year later, Ted Turner sold the team. While his business acumen made him a billionaire, it’s also worth noting Turner’s significant role in improving the sports fan experience. TBS was an important addition to many people’s lives at a time when baseball was America’s most popular sport.

Turner was also a key figure in wrestling. His World Championship Wrestling (WCW) brought live matches to a national cable audience who had often previously had to watch on tape delay.

WCW was in a viewership battle with Vince McMahon’s WWE in the 1990s. This led to the Monday Night War, in which WCW’s Monday Nitro competed directly against WWE’s Monday Night Raw. This ratings showdown greatly contributed to the popularity of wrestling that exists today.

These days, many owners run sports teams purely as businesses. Ted Turner often treated sports as a fan would, and that was his greatest strength.