Opinion | CrossFit Games 2020: without live competitions during Covid-19, what is next for the sport?
- Rogue Invitational has been a bellwether for how the Games season has unfolded during coronavirus
- CrossFit’s Sanctionals season is also morphing and changing, so will it be for the better?
It was only a matter of time before CrossFit headquarters was forced to make the announcement everyone saw coming. After Dave Castro, director of the CrossFit Games, was featured on an episode of Talking Elite Fitness declaring the likelihood of a postponement, cancellation, or possibly even an online version of the Games, I started projecting possibilities for each.
Today we got a statement from CrossFit explaining their plans:
“We remain fully committed to planning a live competition with live media coverage. At this point, we are concentrating on a competition in Aromas, the original home of the CrossFit Games. We are also evaluating options for virtual competition. We will continue to monitor events globally and will have more details for athletes and fans in the coming months.
“The Games will not be a public event. Due to sweeping decisions to ban large festivals and sporting events for the foreseeable future, we are suspending the on-site spectator experience for this year. For fans who have purchased tickets, camping, or hospitality packages, Ticketmaster, who holds these payments until after any physical event, will be issuing full refunds. CrossFit will be issuing full refunds to exhibitors.”
The conclusion I came to before this statement was released was twofold. One: there’s no way a live event is going to be held in Madison on the scheduled dates, and two: whether they cancel the Games altogether, or go to an online version, there’s a very significant event occurring this June either way, the Rogue Invitational, which is not a Sanctioned event.