Ten years into the CrossFit Games, and there are some constants fans and athletes have come to expect: Arduous qualifiers, a Carson finale, Rich Froning winning. But some of that could change in the near future, and the news is coming from one of the sport’s highest authorities.
In a letter to the community, CrossFit Games General Manager Justin Bergh addressed several potential changes to the structure, location, and coverage surrounding the competition season. The biggest revelation is that Bergh and CrossFit HQ are considering a location change from the StubHub center in Carson, California, where the CrossFit Games have been held since 2010 (2016 marks the sixth iteration of the Games at that venue).
According to Bergh, the move could happen as soon as the 2017 CrossFit Games season.
In his letter, Bergh specifically addresses the communal aspect of the CrossFit Games at several points, taking time to assure readers the growth and nurturing of that experience is a crucial component of any planned venue changes.
Bergh’s other talking points include a revamped CrossFit Games site and apps, along with changes to (hopefully increasingly customizable) user/athlete profiles, all of which he implies are already in some stage of development. Again, nothing here sounds terribly surprising, and they’re all changes a growing sport and corresponding governing body will generally make during periods of rapid growth. The main CrossFit page may have stayed relatively static for 15 years, but it sounds like the Games site may be getting a new face much sooner.
There’s also discussion of expanding international viewing options, which are currently limited in scope as many previous tapings have been done exclusive to ESPN.
Bergh may not get as much attention as Games Director Dave Castro, but he’s an important figure in many aspects of the event’s development and planning throughout the year. He advises fans to keep an eye out for updates between now and the 2017 CrossFit Open season. Suffice it to say, we’ll be following along very carefully on the Games site and beyond.
