European Championships Update: Support a 2023 Event and You Might Get Paid for 2022

On October 31, the 2022 European Championship podium athletes received yet another email update from organizer Carl Saville offering a potential solution for their unpaid prize purse winnings from the competition that wrapped up back in August. The most recent proposal comes after organizers have failed to secure a buyer for the event and much-needed cash infusion to pay outstanding debts.

The new proposition: Saville is offering athletes the incentive of a potentially larger prize purse for 2023 that would pay their 2022 winning plus additional money if more tickets are sold, but it is by no means a guarantee.

• 100% stadium sell out = £100,000 prize pot
• 90% stadium sell out = £80,000 prize pot
• 80% stadium sell out = £60,000 prize pot
• 70% stadium sell out = £40,000 prize pot
• 60% stadium sell out = £20,000 prize pot

“The above prize structure would be for the athletes of 2023, your fixed prize money from 2022 has been factored into this format and will remain the same regardless if you take part next year or not. Our priority is to ensure you receive this full amount,” Saville wrote.

Remind me: After promising a £40,000 GBP prize purse at their August event in Nottingham, Egland—won by three-time CrossFit Games athlete Uldis Upenieks and 23-year-old up-and-comer Aimee Cringle—the competition ended with “a large amount of debt,” Saville said, leaving him in a position where he was unable to honor the prize purse.

• At the end of September, Saville informed the athletes he was seeking solutions, including finding more sponsors, bringing on investors, or possibly trying to sell the event to pay the outstanding debt.
• But when he was unable to do any of the above, he updated the athletes on October 31 proposing the new plan to push forward with another event in 2023 in an attempt to pay off the 2022 debt.

One big thing: There is no guarantee that athletes will receive any additional money even if the competition moves forward.

• As Saville notes: “Under 60% stadium capacity of spectator tickets sold would mean there is no prize money and will be participation focused only, less than 40% capacity would see the event change venues before committing to the operational costs of the stadium.”

The big picture: The alternative solution is the competition folds entirely and athletes receive no money whatsoever.

• “We can only do this option if the larger percentage of athletes agree, so we will honor what you decide. To avoid the event going into liquidation and everyone left out of pocket, we would like to propose the opportunity to run one more event in 2023 to try and reclaim the losses from year one in the stadium,” Saville’s email stated.
• Last week, we reported on CanFit Productions—the organizers of the CanWest Games event that also hasn’t been able to pay their athletes—whose next plan is to host a new event, The YVR Winter Classic, in order to raise revenue to pay their outstanding 2022 debt.

It’s worth noting that the email wasn’t clear whether the plan required a simple majority or unanimous consent to approve moving forward with this plan.

• “If the larger percentages of you wish against this, then of course we will respect your collective decision and hand the event over to the liquidators, as the above option would only work with everyone’s approval. Therefore please reply to this email with your preferred option and we will make the announcement before the 18th November.”