Michael Ballard

Michael Ballard is a sports enthusiast, reality TV star, entrepreneur, and successful CEO. Ballard is most famous for being the owner of Full Throttle Saloon, one of the most popular entertainment hubs and bars in the United States. He also starred in a reality TV show that followed the crazy activities happening at the bar.

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Background

Michael Ballard was born in 1964, and he is an American citizen; Michael has an outstanding and attractive personality which is very well suited to a sports enthusiast like him. He has a height of 5’7 but could never pursue his sports dreams beyond being a spectator.

Full Throttle Saloon Bar

In 1999, Michael purchased a property of 30 acres in South Dakota. He used this property to host the thousands of cyclists and bike riders in the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The most exciting fact is that bar does not remain operational for the entire year. It opens only for ten days during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. On average, 2000 motorcyclists visit the bar during the rally.

He named the bar the Full Throttle Saloon, a much-synced combination of idea, business, and proper marketing. There aren’t many examples better than the niche marketing Michael used for the Full Throttle Saloon. He knew very well that there is something that every enthusiast biker in the US wants: an entertainment hub and a bar that is mainly for them only. The bar consists of a wrestling ring, stores, tattoo parlors, a zip line, and convenient, high-capacity parking. Famous concerts are also held there, which feature Michael’s favorite friends.

Michael talked about his show, Full Throttle Saloon, on Tru TV in an interview with Kick Acts. The show featured some crazy scenes during its six-year run on television. Every season, Michael wanted to raise the bar. They included midgets, Jackyl, and relevant acts like Ted Nugent, Hinder, and Theory of a Dead Man. They had terrific bartenders working with them. The Flaunt Girls raised the entertainment level of their show by bringing new elements into the Saloon. They also put on freak shows and some of the best bike builders in the world to entertain the audiences watching at home.

The show got huge ratings because of Michael’s strategy to let situations take several days to unfold. This tactic worked great because the audience was left hanging, wanting more as they anticipated the results. When asked about how he felt about the praise he was getting for the show, Michael said, “All the responses to the show humble me. I think that the program is way different from other shows that are on the network. Our story cannot be told in one hour, and it takes multiple shows to tell it.”

The guests at the bar average about 15,000 people a night. When asked how it became so popular, Michael said, ”I think what sets the full throttle saloon apart from other places is that it is one of the only bars in the country that mixes all races and age groups. How many bars do you see that a 21-year-old guy is sitting on a barstool beside a guy that 65, and they are hanging out and having a beer together?”

Michael has one element that ties all of his guests to each other, “They have one thing in common, and that’s riding motorcycles. Most bars are so segregated by age.”

One essential partner on the show is the frontman of Jackyl, Jesse James Dupree. The two have done a lot of work to improve the experience for their guests. Michael was glowing when he spoke about Jesse, “Jesse and I became best friends over the years. It’s funny how we met. My first year we opened, he called and was in Sturgis and wanted to play. He was out promoting his solo record. So we took him up on it and hired him to come in, and he killed it.”

Having Jesse on his side has been a big reason for the bar’s success over the years, “The next year Jackyl came out and played, and it has been their home every year on the Thursday night of the rally. It’s called Bikers Ball, and it has become the largest show in Sturgis during the Pappy Hoel Motorcycle Rally. Jesse and the band have become huge supporters of the Throttle. They preach the word at every Jackyl show!”

Angieland

Another great feature that contributes to the fame of the Full Throttle Saloon Bar is Angieland. It is the innovation of the bar’s marketing director and Michael’s wife, Angie Carlson. She was first Michael’s employee, then-girlfriend, and later became his wife. In Angieland, Angie and many other girls sit on biker’s heads for photographs.

It is also said that Carlson’s Butt is the world’s most photographed butt in the world. This can be attributed to the very basic philosophy of Angie, “Life is All about The ASS”.

Personal Life

Michael married Angie Carlson in August 2012 on the eve of a Full Throttle Bike Rally. There are many rumors about the prenup agreement. One can’t say with confidence whether such an agreement exists or not. There is a powerful bond between the couple, and they have said about this on many occasions. At present, there are no signs that the couple intends to divorce in the future. Their marriage is going well, despite the age gap of 15 years. Emily Grace Lynn Ballard, the only child of Michael and Angie, was born on March 30, 2014.

Michael earned most of his fame from his bar Full Throttle Saloon, which gave rise to the reality series of the same name. The estimated maximum earning from one episode of the Full Throttle Saloon is about $100,000. The net worth of Michael Ballard is estimated to be more than $4.5 million.

Last Modified: Aug 12, 2021