The 2024 NOBULL CrossFit Games Will Remain in Madison, Wisconsin
The 2024 CrossFit Games will occur in Madison, WI, according to a press release sent by CrossFit on Jan. 25, 2023. This announcement comes months after initial rumors indicated that the Games might move to Birmingham, AL.
“Our vision for the future is to bring the life-changing potential of CrossFit to more people, in more ways,” CrossFit CEO Don Faul said, according to the press release. “The CrossFit Games are a focal point for our brand as we reach millions of people around the world and an opportunity for our global community to gather and celebrate as we crown the Fittest on Earth®. We’re thrilled to return to Madison, where we’ve been able to form an incredible partnership with the city and local community.”
The Alliant Energy Center in Madison has been the host site for CrossFit’s flagship event since 2017. The lone exception was the 2020 Games hosted in Aromas, CA, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The 2024 NOBULL CrossFit Games
In May of 2022, CrossFit said they were extending their partnership with the city of Madison by one year, declaring the 2023 Games as the sixth and final year that Madison would host the Games. In a press conference that same day, CrossFit’s General Manager of Sport Justin Bergh said the following:
We have decided to focus on a relocation in 2024 and extended our timeline to conclude the process.
A return to Madison for the 2024 season greatly benefits Madison economically. In a 2021 interview with News 3, Ellie Westman Chin, President of Destination Madison, said that the CrossFit Games has had an economic impact worth about $12 million. CrossFit placed its economic impact at about $28.5 million in 2018.
“CrossFit and Madison have a very special relationship that we are honored to continue for yet another two years, and I know our businesses and residents will welcome CrossFit back in 2023 and 2024 with open arms,” said Destination Madison and Madison Area Sports Commission Vice President Jamie Patrick. “As we saw during last year’s Games when thousands of people rallied behind an athlete to propel her to the top of the Wisconsin State Capitol stairs, CrossFit athletes, fans, and the Madison community are in this together every step of the way.”
Logistically, staying in Madison makes sense for CrossFit. They have over five years of infrastructure in place, plus the familiarity and support of the city, its residents, and the CrossFit communities in the greater-Madison area. That last point is something that Bergh alluded to in the press release:
“The athlete experience, and the test of fitness itself, is always front-of-mind for CrossFit,” said Bergh. “I’m most excited about the lasting impact we can make in host regions like Madison as we use the full strength of our education platform, network of coaches, and gyms to introduce fitness to people at all levels.”
Featured Image: @crossfitgames on Instagram