On Saturday, an “on this day” picture popped up on my phone.
- It’s a photo of me from 2011 in Carson, CA, at the CrossFit Games. I’m smiling in the stands with my coach, the Killer Kage is behind me.
Oh, what a journey the Games have been on.
Not only have I been a relatively average CrossFit athlete since 2011 (and, I hope, an above-average coach), but I have also attended or watched every CrossFit Games since that year.
For the years I’ve streamed the event from home, I’ve watched both as a fan and as someone who works in show business.
- For the past 15 years, I’ve worked in television production in Los Angeles, so I understand the amount of work that goes into the entire project.
Here’s my review of the 2025 CrossFit Games from a couch spectator’s perspective.
What Did They RX?
The Setup of the Floor
Once streaming from home became a major way to watch the Games, organizers had to find a way to tell the story visually so spectators wouldn’t get lost.
- The addition of the “chess pieces” helped with this, and the team in Albany continued this trend.
From the handstand walking in “Albany Grip Trip” to the box set up on “Throttle Up” and “Hammer Down,” the visual storytelling was spot on.
The Commentators
The team in the booth was fantastic.
From Adrian Conway, Chase Ingraham, and Mike Arsenault to Joel Godet and Bella Martin, we got interesting commentary and solid play-by-play.
- Bethany Flores was an excellent addition. When you include a former Games athlete in the booth, you never know how well their knowledge will translate on the microphone.
Flores was calm and collected, never needlessly filling time, but offering specific athlete takes along with knowledgeable play-by-play.
Time Management
At first, the condensed field of 30 athletes gave me pause, but ultimately it made for much better television.
A maximum of three heats (some events only had two) kept the audience engaged, and there was always someone in that first heat to watch as a potential spoiler.
Programming
A solid variety of movements, rep schemes, and time domains, so challenging that all of the athletes who finished in the top ten had at least one finish outside the top 14.
No doubt a fantastic overall test that identified the Fittest on Earth.
What Needs Some Reps?
The Hard Questions
While the commentary team was great, I wish they had asked a few more tough questions in the post-event interviews – at least something different from what we usually hear.
I know that, as an interviewer, you often have less than a minute to get a sound bite, and you must balance extracting information from an athlete without creating an awkward or embarrassing pause.
- However, there were specific questions I wanted them to ask Tia that I was yelling at my screen.
And, for what it’s worth, I thought Taylor Self did a great job at Syndicate Crown, asking a different selection of questions – even inquiring about what an athlete’s first CrossFit workout was gave a different insight into their process.
The Lower Third
For those of you not working in production, the box that appears and says “CrossFit Games 2025 Rookie,” when Ty Jenkins appears on the screen, is called the “lower third.”
- There were some “snafus” with that over the weekend.
Incorrect facts or a lack of facts undermined the professionalism. There was also stock footage showing Atlanta instead of Albany.
Video Highlights and Packages
Although the timing of the events deserves praise, downtime inevitably occurs between heats or during longer movements (e.g., “Run/Row/Run”).
I would have loved to see more video highlights and packages during these times.
- For example, Olivia Kerstetter mentioned after the Jennings Landing event that she had been working on her running. It would have been helpful to include some of these pre-interviews in the live broadcast to enhance the storytelling.
What do I think happened?
I am guessing that all the video packages and pre-interviews are probably being saved for the 2025 CrossFit Games documentary. Perhaps next year, they can strike a balance with content.
My Final Take
We haven’t received an official count of how many people watched the broadcast yet, but based on the empty seats in the arena, it appears that fewer people were watching than in previous years.
- The watch parties and gym get-togethers to cheer on favorite athletes seem to be a thing of the past. I hope they return in future years; that vibe of cheering for specific athletes in a gym fosters a sense of community.
It takes a dedicated team working extremely hard to produce an event at the level of the CrossFit Games.
- From all the volunteers to the team leads, the support staff, and the media, nothing ever goes smoothly.
Overall, especially considering the lack of normalcy going into this year’s CrossFit Games, I give it two thumbs up. At least from my couch.
More CrossFit Stories
- 5 Epic Performances That Stole the Show at the 2025 CrossFit Games
- Why the 2025 Games Were a Win for the CrossFit Methodology
- Building Her Own (Wolf) Pack – How Jenn Powers Became a Grid League Team Owner
Featured Image: Scott Freymond
