re: How much would you realistically pay to see gladiators fight to the death?

Treat it like the WWE and you'd have a gold mine.

Traveling shows where trained and lethal gladiators fight a few criminals sentenced to death. Make it a weekly free program that comes on once a night. Build story lines between gladiators for when you have a PPV event.

Then have a once a month PPV for $50 and regular ticket prices like any major event. The point is to appeal to the masses, not the upper crust who can afford $2,000 tickets.

Then once a year have Gladiatormania for $70 on PPV and in a major city. Have Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler on commentary and you, my friend, will have happiness.