Hey everyone, Sebastian here. I just wanted to let everybody listening know that I'm going to be a featured speaker this year at the

Intelligent Speech Conference. The Intelligent Speech Conference is an online conference that brings together a

diverse group of podcasters and other content creators and their fans. It's going to be held November 4th and it's entirely

online this year. The theme for the 2023 conference is contingencies when history meets the backup plan. I'm going to be giving a keynote address and

participating in a roundtable with history on fires, Danielle E. Bolelli.

So if you think you want to participate, go to IntelligentSpeechOnline.com to get the early bird tickets now.

Also use coupon code fake to save 10% on your ticket. That sounds cool to you. I'll see you on November 4th.

I want to start today with a question. What was the most important fake sporting event of the 20th century?

It's a tough one. I know. But I'm glad I get to use that qualifier fake. It really helps narrow down what might otherwise be an impossible question.

If you're talking real, unscripted sporting events, well, the infamous 1936 Nazi Olympics popped in mind.

So does the Ali Frazier fight of the century in 1971?

Or Jackie Robinson's first major league baseball game in 1947?

But very quickly, this question gets too big for a very casual sports fan like myself.

I can't help but think that there were cricket matches played in India and soccer games in Brazil that are completely legendary,

attended by impossibly large crowds that I am woefully ignorant of.

No, let's keep our focus on fake sports or rather scripted sports events because that really helps keep this question manageable.

If we're talking about scripted sports entertainment presented as legitimate athletic competition, well, then there is a strong case that can be made for wrestle mania 3.

Held in the Pontiac Silver Dome just outside of Detroit, Michigan in 1987,

WrestleMania 3 has been pointed to as the apex of the 1980s wrestling boom.

Professional wrestling had never been bigger and for decades after WrestleMania 3 would serve as a benchmark for just how big wrestling could be.

On the pay per view television feed, it was announced that the event had set a new indoor attendance world record with an astounding 93,173 fans packing the silver dome.

But that attendance number was probably worked to use the parlance of wrestling.

...