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Turner's media moves reshaped sports and pro wrestling

PUBLISHED May 7, 2026, 1:08 AM ET

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ATLANTA — Ted Turner, the media executive who bought the Atlanta Braves in the 1970s and later rebranded a wrestling company as World Championship Wrestling, died Wednesday. He used the TBS superstation and TNT to broadcast sports and wrestling nationally; WCW outpaced the World Wrestling Federation in television ratings for 83 weeks, according to former Turner executive Brad Siegel. This week, sports figures and industry officials reflected on Turner's influence: Diamond Dallas Page thanked him for providing an international wrestling platform, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred called Turner a 'visionary' whose media innovations transformed how fans experience sports. The Braves won the 1995 World Series and Turner sold the franchise the following year, outlets reported.

By Emily Rhodes | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

1970s: Turner purchased the struggling Atlanta Braves and began broadcasting their games on his local TV station.
Turner sold the Braves' signal to cable systems to create a national audience via TBS.
Turner acquired and rebranded a wrestling company as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and placed programming on TNT.
WCW outpaced the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in television ratings for 83 weeks during head-to-head scheduling.
1995: The Braves won the World Series; Turner sold the franchise the following year and Turner died Wednesday.

News Intelligence

Ted Turner's media moves changed how we consume sports and entertainment. His vision brought local teams and wrestling to a national audience. If you're a sports fan, Turner's innovations likely shaped your viewing experience.

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Who Benefited

Turner's national broadcasting strategy expanded audiences, benefiting broadcasters, the Atlanta Braves franchise, cable operators, wrestling talent such as WCW performers, and advertisers by creating larger, national markets.

Who Impacted

Competing promoters and regional-only broadcasters lost viewership and market advantage during WCW's extended ratings lead, and some competitors experienced measurable ratings declines during that period.

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