Business Wars

Wondery

Netflix vs. HBO. Nike vs. Adidas. Business is war. Sometimes the prize is your wallet or your attention. Sometimes, it’s just the fun of beating the other guy. The outcome of these battles shapes what we buy and how we live. Business Wars gives you the unauthorized, real story of what drives these companies and their leaders, inventors, investors and executives to new heights -- or to ruin. Hosted by David Brown, former anchor of Marketplace. From Wondery, the network behind Dirty John and American History Tellers.Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

  • 34 minutes 10 seconds
    Disney Under Seige | Peltz Strikes Back | 2

    When CEO Bob Iger fails to reassure Wall Street about his plans for Disney’s traditional TV operations, Nelson Peltz seizes the chance to launch a fresh attack on the Magic Kingdom. And this time, he won’t back down.

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    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

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    18 December 2024, 8:01 am
  • 33 minutes 24 seconds
    Disney Under Siege | Restore the Magic | 1

    It’s 2022 and Disney is in trouble. The combined forces of pandemic shutdowns, box-office bombs and political missteps have hammered Disney’s stock price. Marvel’s jilted former boss sees an opportunity. He allies with billionaire investor Nelson Peltz to plot a boardroom coup.

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    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

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    11 December 2024, 8:01 am
  • 4 minutes 27 seconds
    Hollywood & Crime: The Cotton Club Murder

    On June 10th, 1983, the decomposing body of a well-dressed man was found in a desolate canyon near Los Angeles. John Doe #94 would soon be identified as missing variety show producer Roy Radin. He'd last been seen after meeting with a mysterious woman in a gold dress. Her name was Lanie Jacobs.


    Jacobs and Radin were obsessed with becoming Hollywood movie producers. And when their paths collided, it led them to a tantalizing film deal promising fame and fortune. But then, a twisted script unfolded, plunging them into a million-dollar cocaine and cash heist, a tangled web of lies, and ultimately – murder.


    The trail led investigators right to Hollywood's doorstep, linking former golden boy producer Robert Evans to the case and dredging up Radin's own troubled past.


    But the case turned ice cold. It would take more than five years of dogged pursuit by the L.A. Sheriff’s Department detectives, a secret undercover witness, and another murder almost 3,000 miles from Hollywood – to unlock the truth.


    This is the story of a doomed Hollywood partnership, a grisly murder and the search that stretched across the country for a killer – or killers.


    From Wondery, and the team behind the hit series Hollywood & Crime: The Dating Game Killer, The Wonderland Murders, Death of Starlet, and the Execution of Bonny Lee Bakley comes a six part series that dives into the dark side of Hollywood through a shocking murder – fueled by ruthless ambition and desperate dreams. Co-hosted by Tracy Pattin and Josh Lucas.


    Listen to Hollywood & Crime: The Cotton Club Murder: Wondery.fm/Hollywood_and_Crime_


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    9 December 2024, 9:00 am
  • 36 minutes 29 seconds
    Chuck E Cheese vs ShowBiz Pizza | Where a Kid Can be a Kid | 3

    Is nostalgia alone enough to keep Chuck E. Cheese afloat in 2025? As the chain continues to crawl its way out of bankruptcy, they’ll need to win over the next generation of kids — or perhaps, their parents — to keep the arcade lights on. Ben Coley of the trade publication QSR Magazine joins David to discuss how Chuck E. Cheese is making money these days, and whether they’ll be able to stick it out for another 50 years. Later, Ross Brakman of the American Treasure Tour Museum shares the origins of the animatronic bands that came to define Chuck E. Cheese and ShowBiz Pizza Place all those years ago — and the love that adults and kids across the world still have for these characters.


    Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter


    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    4 December 2024, 8:01 am
  • 37 minutes 52 seconds
    Chuck E Cheese vs ShowBiz Pizza | Broken Robots | 2

    It’s 1982, and after months of bitter fighting, Nolan Bushnell of Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater and Robert Brock of ShowBiz Pizza Place finally strike a legal truce. With the video game market crashing and the novelty of their brands fading, Chuck E. Cheese faces mounting debt and is forced to file for bankruptcy. ShowBiz Pizza, also feeling the economic strain, realizes their only chance to survive is by merging with their former rival. But is combining forces enough to revive these ailing businesses? 

    Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

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    27 November 2024, 8:01 am
  • 6 minutes 39 seconds
    Listen Now: 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast

    Cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel, Whoville's favorite talk show host is back on the mic! The Grinch may hate the holidays, but he loves his new celebrity status as a chart-topping podcaster. With Cindy Lou and Max by his side, join The Grinch each week as he stubbornly refuses the joys of the season, cozies up to his celebrity guests — and investigates a brand-new mystery that puts him right at the center of another dastardly Christmas caper. All the children of Whoville's letters to Santa have gone missing, and Grinch is Suspect No. 1. Follow along at the end of each episode to help Grinch and his crew solve this WHO-dunnit in time for Christmas! Plus, tune into Wondery+ as Cindy Lou and Max take the case into their own hands! Starring SNL's James Austin Johnson as the iconic green grump, and featuring famous faces the whole family will love, 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast might just grow your heart three sizes this winter season.


    For even more cheer, subscribe to Wondery+ to join Cindy Lou and Max the Dog as they take the case of the missing letters into their own hands!


    Follow 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Unlock Cindy Lou and Max’s exclusive Christmas mystery investigation and listen to every episode ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or by visiting Wondery.fm/Grinch.

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    25 November 2024, 1:00 pm
  • 32 minutes 32 seconds
    Chuck E Cheese vs ShowBiz Pizza | Rat Pizza | 1

    It’s 1976, and Atari founder Nolan Bushnell is on a mission to launch a family arcade disguised as a pizza parlor. He comes up with a name that’s impossible not to smile at—“Chuck E. Cheese”—and combines pizza, video games, and animatronic entertainment. The chain quickly becoming the go-to destination for a generation of American kids. And as business takes off, hotel mogul Robert Brock sees the potential to franchise, but after feeling misled by Bushnell, he demands their contract be torn up. Brock goes on to create a rival chain called ShowBiz Pizza Place, pitting his bear mascot, Billy Bob, against Chuck E. Cheese’s scrappy rat in an all-out battle for pizza parlor supremacy.

    Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    20 November 2024, 8:01 am
  • 35 minutes 44 seconds
    Slicing Into New York's Pizza | 6

    Get ready for a Business Wars pizza party! Sporkful podcast host Dan Pashman and Eater NYC reporter Melissa McCart join David to settle the years long debate: is East Coast pizza really better? Then, Dan goes out in the field to put hot honey pizza to the test. Plus, find out how foodies read the trends to determine whether a slice is all hype, or worth the wait.


    This episode is available early and ad-free for Wondery+ members. To stay up-to-date on new podcasts and more from Wondery, sign up on http://wondery.fm/applepodcasts

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    14 November 2024, 8:01 am
  • 36 minutes 21 seconds
    Beyond Meat vs Impossible Burger | Interview | 5

    Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger boomed in the 2010s, but changing tastes have turned their sizzle into a fizzle. And as they continue to slide deeper into debt, these companies have struggled to get back on top of the plant-based food chain. . What’s next for these meatless giants? Jason Kartalian and Mike Keller, co-hosts of the podcast Vegan Hacks, join David to discuss the future of Beyond Meat, Impossible Burger, and the meatless meat market as a whole. 


    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

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    13 November 2024, 8:01 am
  • 35 minutes 14 seconds
    Beyond Meat vs Impossible Burger | Break from the Herd | 4

    It’s 2022 and Kim Kardashian is chowing down on a Beyond Burger. But the Internet buzzes over whether she actually ate it. Meanwhile, after a boom in business during the pandemic, Americans are now cutting back on plant-based meats. And concerns are growing over their nutritional value. That creates a financial pinch for both Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, and both companies will have to consider cutting the fat in their operations. Just as the industry looks like it's overcooked, one company revamps its recipe with health in mind. And the other adopts bolder, beefier, and bloodier brand. 


    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    6 November 2024, 8:01 am
  • 32 minutes 2 seconds
    Beyond Meat vs Impossible Burger | Beefing Up, Chowing Down | 3

    It’s 2019 and plant-based meats are on fire. But they’re also under fire. Supporters of the beef industry start a food fight with the plant-based meat industry. It kicks off on Super Bowl Sunday, with an aggressive TV ad. But Pat Brown’s Impossible Foods fights back with an ad of its own. Meanwhile, Ethan Brown pushes Beyond Meat to grow at all costs. As debts mount, Ethan tries to get the king of burgers, McDonald’s, to bite on a new plant-based patty. And, as the heat turns up at both companies due to pandemic-induced demand for their products, some employees get queasy about their company’s founders.


    Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    30 October 2024, 7:01 am
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