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Business Wars

Audible

300 episodes · in order

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, innovators, investors and executives to new heights -- or to ruin. Hosted by David Brown, former anchor of Marketplace. From Wondery, the network behind Against the Odds and American History Tellers.

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Episodes page 3 of 6

  1. Toys R US vs KB Toys | Category Killer | 1

    · 36 min · S89 E1

    It’s the 1950s and in Washington D.C., Charles Lazarus is running a small baby furniture store in the house he was born in. But when a customer comes seeking toys, Lazarus starts on the path towards creating a toy…

  2. Toys R US vs KB Toys | Toy Hunter | 2

    · 35 min · S89 E2

    It’s 1990 and Toys “R” Us rules toy retail. But when big-box retailers Walmart and Costco threaten to intrude on its territory, Toys “R” Us uses toymakers to wage retail war. And as the clash of the giant superstores…

  3. Toys R US vs KB Toys: Christmas Carnage | 3

    · 36 min · S89 E3

    It’s 1999 and the world wide web is the new retail frontier. And both KB Toys and Toys “R” Us hope to use the internet to keep Walmart at bay. But Toys “R” Us's plan for online glory is about to go haywire – giving KB…

  4. Toys R US vs KB Toys | Tears 'R' Us | 4

    · 36 min · S89 E4

    It’s 2004 and toy retailers across America are assessing the post-holiday damage from Walmart’s brutal price attack. And with KB Toys mortally wounded, it falls to Toys “R” Us to lead the fight. But when the debts…

  5. Toys R US vs KB Toys | The Comeback Kid, Plus Hot Wheels! | 5

    · 41 min · S89 E5

    ‘Tis the season for toys! First, we’re getting an update on where toy retailers stand today with Forbes Senior Contributor Joan Verdon. She’s covered Toys R Us since the late 90s, and has the inside scoop on whether…

  6. Best of Business Wars Daily | Holiday Wars | 6

    · 45 min · S89 E6

    American Girl or Barbie? Transformers or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? The Game of Life or Monopoly? We're putting your favorite nostalgic toys head-to-head to determine the GOAT (greatest of all TOYS) with comedian…

  7. Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | Crash and Burn | 1

    · 38 min · S90 E1

    It’s the year 2000. Sony’s PlayStation 2 is ready to conquer the game business and leave its Japanese rivals Sega and Nintendo looking like has-beens. But Sony’s gaming success is causing alarm at Microsoft’s…

  8. Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | The Betrayal | 2

    · 36 min · S90 E2

    It’s 2002 and the race to build the next generation of game consoles is already underway. And Sony’s got big plans for the PlayStation 3. It wants to use it to introduce a new kind of computer architecture and it’s…

  9. Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | Dis-Kinect | 3

    · 33 min · S90 E3

    It’s 2007 and both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are in trouble. Microsoft’s dealing with an epidemic of dying consoles. Sony lacks sales momentum. And Nintendo’s surging back with the Wii – a console that lets people…

  10. Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | Pay to Win | 4

    · 37 min · S90 E4

    It’s 2016 and Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s leading a reboot of the Xbox brand after the Xbox One’s fumbled start. But with Sony and Nintendo surging ahead, he needs to make some big plays to get Microsoft back in action.…

  11. Xbox vs Playstation (REMIX) | The Console Conundrum | 5

    · 39 min · S90 E5

    Can you imagine video games without Sony? A partnership between Sony and Nintendo could have changed the future of Playstation — and the video game industry — as we know it… if the deal hadn’t ended with a dramatic…

  12. Tracing the Steps of Fitbit | 6

    · 36 min · S90 E6

    Before Apple and Samsung took over our wrists, there was Fitbit. The fitness tracker was just about the coolest thing in Silicon Valley, and everyone in tech was wearing one — including Wired Magazine senior editor…

  13. Apple Watch vs Samsung | From Dust to Dynasty | 1

    · 38 min · S91 E1

    It’s 1936 in a small town in Korea and a rakish scion of a wealthy family realizes he has to clean up his act by starting a small import export business. By the 1980s, he fast tracks South Korea’s first computer chip…

  14. Apple Watch vs Samsung | Race to the Wrist | 2

    · 40 min · S91 E2

    It’s 2012 and Apple’s legendary designer in chief, Jony Ive, decides the company’s first product launch after Steve Jobs’ death should be a smartwatch. But he struggles to get buy-in from CEO Tim Cook and upper…

  15. Apple Watch vs Samsung | This Watch Will Save Your Life | 3

    · 40 min · S91 E3

    It’s 2016 and in the wake of a major PR fiasco, Samsung is rolling out their new round smartwatch with a beautiful rotating bezel, while an MLB cheating scandal puts the Apple Watch squarely in consumers’ sights. And,…

  16. Apple Watch vs Samsung | The Rise of Apple Watch with Steven Levy (Wired) & Cam Wolf (GQ) | 4

    · 41 min · S91 E4

    When the Apple Watch first debuted, designer Jony Ive envisioned the gadget as a must-have in the world of high fashion. But even if the smartwatch hasn’t become a mainstay in the luxury world, it has become a tool…

  17. The Business of Barbie | 5

    · 34 min · S91 E5

    We’ve got the keys to Barbie's dream house and we’re unlocking her legacy, staying power and what’s ahead. We're joined by Time reporter and Mattel expert Eliana Dockterman and entertainment and culture journalist…

  18. Taylor Swift vs The World | On the Outside | 1

    · 38 min · S92 E1

    When Taylor Swift signed to an upstart country label as a teen, she probably didn't realize that she was signing away the rights to something she would spend decades getting back -- her masters. Swift’s fight for her…

  19. Taylor Swift vs The World | Bad Blood | 2

    · 32 min · S92 E2

    By 2014, Taylor Swift has spread her wings into pop. But as her self-confidence grows, so does her discontent with her label. So she makes a bold move. Meanwhile, mega-manager Scooter Braun sees a business opportunity…

  20. Taylor Swift vs The World | Revenge of the Swifties | 3

    · 33 min · S92 E3

    By 2019, Taylor Swift's battle to get her masters back from Scooter Braun has gone public. She decides to fight by deploying her own, very dangerous weapon -- the Swifties. And Braun pulls out all the stops to protect…

  21. Taylor Swift vs The World | Ticketmaster Trouble | 4

    · 39 min · S92 E4

    When Taylor Swift began planning The Eras Tour, she probably didn't expect to be at the forefront of an antitrust battle that could decide the future of concerts in the U.S. But the battle for Taylor Swift tickets…

  22. Taylor Swift vs The World | Taylor Nation | 5

    · 41 min · S92 E5

    With everything Taylor Swift’s been up to lately, being a Swiftie is almost a fulltime job. Today, David speaks with two digital creators who have been covering her since day one. First up, pop culture YouTuber Lauren…

  23. Costco's Wholesale Revolution | 6

    · 44 min · S92 E6

    Costco's membership retention rate is the stuff of other retailers' dreams, nevermind the love they get on social media. With very little paid advertising, the company has managed to keep its spot as the third largest…

  24. Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | Misalignment | 1

    · 45 min · S93 E1

    From the outside, OpenAI looked like one of Silicon Valley’s biggest success stories. In 2022, it had stunned the world with the release of ChatGPT3.5, leapfrogging some of the biggest tech companies to be an industry…

  25. Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | If You Come At the King… | 2

    · 37 min · S93 E2

    OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s move to fire Sam Altman with no warning kicks off five days of chaos for the tech company. After he gets over the shock, Altman uses all his corporate savvy to fight back. For days,…

  26. Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | Blood in the Water | 3

    · 36 min · S93 E3

    After five intense days, Sam Altman prevails over the OpenAI Board and is reinstated as CEO, with a new board in place. But the turmoil has shown that OpenAI is vulnerable and its competitors, including Google and…

  27. Sam Altman & the Battle for OpenAI | Is OpenAI Out of the Woods? | 4

    · 42 min · S93 E4

    A lot has happened at OpenAI since that whiplash week in November 2023 when the board ousted its chief executive. There was an investigation to determine whether Sam Altman’s firing was just, and a lawsuit from OpenAI…

  28. Allbirds: The Rise and Fall of Direct to Consumer | 5

    · 38 min · S93 E5

    Allbirds was once valued at $4.1 billion. The sustainable shoe brand had a fast and meteoric rise that mirrored the path of many other direct to consumer brands, but by early 2024 Allbirds' luck had changed. Find out…

  29. Jeep vs Bronco | Battle Hardened | 1

    · 37 min · S94 E1

    It's 1940 and as Adolph Hitler’s forces storm across Europe, the American army pays a nearly broke U.S. carmaker to develop a lightweight, durable, all-purpose, all-terrain automobile for use in the coming world war.…

  30. Jeep vs Bronco | Engine Trouble | 2

    · 33 min · S94 E2

    It’s 1965 and as the Bronco bucks onto the market, the Jeep boosts its engine power in hopes of catching up. But by the 1970s, the Jeep’s owner, the American Motor Company, has a new strategy: beat the Bronco by going…

  31. Jeep vs Bronco | Bye Bye Bronco | 3

    · 33 min · S94 E3

    It's 1996, and the last Bronco rolls off the assembly line in Michigan. Ford is moving on to bigger, lusher SUVs. Jeep is already there with its Grand Cherokee. And as it continues to be hugely popular, Chrysler…

  32. Jeep vs Bronco | Full Throttle | 4

    · 34 min · S94 E4

    It's 2008 and the U.S. government spends tense months deciding whether, and then how, to bail out the U.S. auto industry. Chrysler is saved through a forced merger with another foreign suitor — Italy’s Fiat. Fiat’s…

  33. Jeep vs Bronco | Back in the Saddle | 5

    · 41 min · S94 E5

    David is going behind the scenes with Ford’s Director of Vehicle Personalization, Mark Grueber, who helped power the “Bronco Underground.” You heard him in this season of Business Wars, and now he’s sharing what it was…

  34. Poppi vs Olipop: Soda’s Second Coming | 6

    · 37 min · S94 E6

    Soda has had its fair share of ups and downs, but now, a new wave of prebiotic pop promises to reinvent the fizzy drink consumers love. Poppi and Olipop are two buzzy, health-focused brands leading the charge. And…

  35. College Football Wars | Title Fight | 1

    · 39 min · S95 E1

    It’s the 90s. College football’s a hot mess of untapped profit potential. But two TV execs have an answer. It’s called the Bowl Championship Series and it’ll ignite a rush for the big bucks. Listen to Business Wars on…

  36. College Football Wars | The New Champions | 2

    · 36 min · S95 E2

    Pac-12 boss Larry Scott wants a media empire that can outshine the Big Ten. But to do it, he must strong-arm ESPN and then find a way to face down satellite TV giant DirecTV. Listen to Business Wars on the Wondery App…

  37. College Football Wars | The Fumble | 3

    · 33 min · S95 E3

    With the College Football Playoff boosting the sport’s worth, the rivalry between the Power 5 conferences is heating up. But as the Big Ten thrives, the Pac-12 will find itself trapped by its past. Listen to Business…

  38. College Football Wars | Fragile Alliance | 4

    · 37 min · S95 E4

    It’s George Kliavkoff’s third week in charge of the Pac-12. But his new job will become a nightmare when the SEC makes a play that’ll send panic through entire the college football scene. Listen to Business Wars on…

  39. College Football Wars | Where the Pac-12 Went Wrong | 5

    · 39 min · S95 E5

    The Pac-12 was one of the most prestigious college football conferences in the nation, until its leading schools left for greener pastures with heftier media deals. Now, with only two teams left, the stakes are higher…

  40. Cruise Ship Wars | Anchors Aweigh! | 1

    · 41 min · S96 E1

    In 1950, an enterprising Miami businessman has the idea to use a passenger liner to ferry retired Floridians to the Caribbean. He makes their time on board the ship as much a part of the appeal as the destination.…

  41. Cruise Ship Wars | Making Waves | 2

    · 45 min · S96 E2

    After his bitter exit from Norwegian Cruise Line, Ted Arison has limited time to make his new company Carnival a success. With little funds and one run-down ship, the odds are stacked against him. Meanwhile, Norwegian…

  42. Cruise Ship Wars | A Shot Across the Bow | 3

    · 43 min · S96 E3

    As Carnival cements its success by going public, founder Ted Arison and his son and CEO Micky set their sights on growing the company through acquisition. They make long-time rival Royal Caribbean their target. But…

  43. Cruise Ship Wars | Mayday | 4

    · 45 min · S96 E4

    As the cruise industry enters the 21st century, Carnival and Royal Caribbean square off again as they battle to acquire British company Princess Cruises. Whoever wins Princess will be virtually uncatchable as the…

  44. Cruise Ship Wars | Smooth Sailing | 5

    · 36 min · S96 E5

    The seas were especially rough for the cruise line industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a time when people thought cruising might never come back… but not Dan Kline. He’s the founder of the publication Come…

  45. Croc-Stars: How Comfy Clogs Took Over | 6

    · 43 min · S96 E6

    Crocs are the comfy foam clogs people love to hate. Yet today, they're seen everywhere from memes to the red carpet. So how did they get so popular? David's exploring the rise and fall — and rise again — of the “ugly”…

  46. Drug Cartels | The Chess Master | 1

    · 21 min · S97 E1

    In the 1970s, a pair of brothers and their longtime friend begin smuggling cocaine from their home city of Cali, Colombia into the United States. They quickly establish a complex but highly efficient system for…

  47. Drug Cartels | Inside Miami’s Drug Wars with Hotel Cocaine | 4

    · 39 min · S97 E4

    It’s 1978 in Miami, Florida. The hottest spot in town is a club located inside the world famous Mutiny Hotel. And it’s also the epicenter of Miami’s infamous drug wars. The new MGM+ Hotel Cocaine takes you deep into…

  48. Fox News vs CNN | Non-Stop News | 1

    · 40 min · S98 E1

    It’s 1978 and Ted Turner’s out to reinvent the news with CNN, the first 24-hour news network. The challenge nearly breaks its first staffers, but then a major national story proves to viewers that journalism that's…

  49. Fox News vs CNN | Cable Clash | 2

    · 40 min · S98 E2

    It's 1996 and Fox News is getting ready to launch, but when CNN owner Time Warner tries to block it, Rupert Murdoch seeks help from New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. Then, a scandal rocks the White House and proves to be a…

  50. Fox News vs CNN | Cheerleader in Chief | 3

    · 36 min · S98 E3

    It's September 11, 2001 and CNN and Fox News race to keep the nation up to date as the tragedy unfolds. Then, when the nation is plunged into war, the organizations diverge in their coverage. And their rival approaches…

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