CrossFit Inc. today announced an extension to their partnership with Facebook, making it the digital home of the Fittest on Earth through 2018. This is the first time fans will get to see start-to-finish coverage of the elite men and women, as well as the Team, Masters and Teenage Divisions. Live coverage will be fully produced and include studio segments throughout the day. Facebook will additionally feature exclusive behind-the-scenes access live from the athlete warm-up areas all the way to the competition floor.
"We're excited to extend our partnership with Facebook," said Justin Bergh, General Manager of the CrossFit Games. "This allows our fans to follow every minute of the CrossFit Games, while at home or on the go. The coverage will be produced at broadcast levels, but tailored for the type of interactions and access our fans love on social media. This is exactly what our community has wanted for years."
The CrossFit Games season begins with the Open, the single largest participatory sporting event in the world, with nearly 400,000 athletes from more than 175 countries competing. The top athletes advance to Regional competitions, which span eight cities in three weeks. Only the top men, women and teams make it to the Games.
In its 11th season, the CrossFit Games will move from Carson, California, to Madison, Wisconsin. Competitors hail from over 30 countries and will compete for a $2,400,000 prize purse. Athletes train year-round without knowing the specific events they will face at the finals, with some events only being revealed minutes or hours before they take place.
"Few things bring people together like live sports events," said Dan Reed, Facebook’s head of global sports partnerships. "We look forward to fans on Facebook rallying around CrossFit’s biggest moments."