Vlad Tepez, Lord of the small Greifwald Transylvania, became a Vampire after slaughtering the leaders of a large army of Southlanders, putting their heads on spikes and eating lunch amongst them. That was enough to persuade Khaine to grant him immortallity (of sorts).
Vlad has in the centuries since grown bored with said immortality and has decided to use some of his time educating the masses (and the cheerleaders are good too...such sweet blood!) Obviously all his matches must take place at night or in very dark stadiums, but that's ok...it attracts the right kind of crowd...