“Fort Worth is a proven destination for high-profile events, and we’re excited to add to the growing number of sports and entertainment options at the state-of-the-art Dickies Arena,” CrossFit CEO Don Faul said in a press release. “Love of sport is in the DNA of most Texans, and we can’t think of a more enthusiastic audience for the Games.”

Scheduled for Aug. 8-11, the 2024 CrossFit Games will offer “the experience of a lifetime for fans, athletes, affiliates, and partners,” per Faul.

Not only does the venue have almost 30,000 square feet of event space, but it also has three standard levels of seating, including additional elevated viewing experiences on Dickies Arena’s suite and loge box levels.

Besides providing a new city with a chance to host the sport’s preeminent event, the decision to take the 2024 Games in a different direction appears to be part of a long-term plan with global implications.

“The move to Fort Worth is the first step for where we want to take the CrossFit Games,” said CrossFit General Manager of Sport and Education Dave Castro. “Just as we expect our athletes to adjust during competition, we’ll need to do the same as we rethink our execution so that we can bring the Games to not only more cities in the United States, but also consider expansion overseas.”

Moving the Games from Wisconsin, where it was held since 2017, to Texas means more than just a change of scenery. From a competitive standpoint, reigning champions Jeffrey Adler and Laura Horvath have another factor to consider as they prepare to defend their titles: the heat.

The location for the 2024 Games has been one of the hottest areas in the country in recent months. According to AccuWeather, the average high temperature in Forth Worth from Aug. 8-11 of this year was 107 degrees Fahrenheit (41.7 degrees Celsius).

Meanwhile, the average high temperature in Madison during the 2023 CrossFit Games around the same time was a relatively more tolerable 83.5 degrees Fahrenheit (28.6 degrees Celsius). Ultimately, such a stark difference in climate could have a significant impact on the outcome of the 2024 Games.

According to CrossFit’s press release, further information about the upcoming season will be announced at a later date.

Featured Image: CrossFit Games / YouTube

The post The 2024 CrossFit Games Are Officially Coming to Texas appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

CrossFit CEO Don Faul offered illuminating thoughts on the decision to keep the significant competition in Wisconsin’s capital until at least the mid-2020s.

“Our vision for the future is to bring the life-changing potential of CrossFit to more people, in more ways,” Faul said. “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 the local community.”

Madison, WI, has been the home of the CrossFit Games almost every year since 2017. The lone exception to that recent history was in 2020 when the Games took place in Aromas, CA, due to conflicts from the early portions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the contest in Madison occurs in and around the Alliant Energy Center — a convention and recreational space for many events in the nearby area.

In May 2022, CrossFit HQ had previously noted that the 2023 edition of the games would be the sixth and final iteration in Wisconsin as the organization looked to future sites and potential expansion. Those plans have now clearly shifted for the time being.

Staying in Madison will likely see the CrossFit Games continue to act as a boon to the city’s economy and surrounding area. Per an early August 2022 report from The Cap Times, the competition “has consistently generated around $12 million in economic activity in each of its recent years.” At the time of this writing, it is unclear how much the 2022 iteration — which saw Tia-Clair Toomey and Justin Medeiros capture the Women’s and Men’s Individual titles, respectively — made in profits for the city.

“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 in the same press release. “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.”

Down the line, CrossFit’s tentpole event could indeed be located elsewhere. For now, with Madison already well-prepared to host some of the fittest athletes on Earth, it seems the overall logistics of the situation made it make sense to stay in Wisconsin.

In the immediate purview, the 2023 CrossFit Open will begin on Feb. 16, 2023. From there, it’ll be full steam ahead for the 2023 competitive season.

Featured image: @crossfitgames on Instagram

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