r/crossfit • u/Anonymousimpreg • 7d ago
WFP thoughts....
I had a chance to attend WFP this weekend, I'm local to Arizona. Just wanted to share some of my thoughts and was curious what you guys thought if you were there.
I enjoyed the fact that you could engage with the athletes on a more personal level, lots of them did meet and greets, were walking around the venue, or taking pictures with fans after the events. I thought that was pretty neat and something I've never gotten a chance to do before.
Some of the community events were pretty good, lots of elite athletes dropping into East Valley gyms to teach, host events. Again, it was really cool to see some of the athletes up close and get pictures.
Onto the bad....
I'm genuinely curious as to how this is actually going to make money. Most of the local gyms were giving away free tickets, so I don't know anyone that actually paid for their tickets. The actual venue they were hosting WFP for Mesa is massive and from what I understand extremely expensive. Plus all the athletes were put up in hotels. I can't imagine they are making enough money to cover their expenses.
The vendor village was terrible, there was like four or five vendors, which made it quite boring in between events or when there's a big break in the middle of the day.
The actual venue inside was very small, couldn't hold more than maybe a couple thousand people, the web stream made it seem like it was very huge inside
Obvious equipment issues mentioned elsewhere.
Personally, I don't see the WFP being able to survive for another year, but that's just me.
Edited to add: I was really indifferent about WFP before I went this weekend. I did have a good time, I'm still indifferent about WFP. My comments were just that I don't know how they can survive doing this financially, that's it.
Edited again to remove comment about blue hair judge. The shuffling issue that two people were no repped about was reviewed and affirmed.
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u/Affectionate_Copy163 7d ago
I flew out from CA and paid for my tickets. I am a huge fan of all the athletes. It was absolutely worth it to watch people I admire perform.
When CrossFit started they had the same trials and tribulations that a new sport has. There are kinks to work out that you only get through experience. I don’t think being pessimistic and speculating the demise of something is useful.
Experience comes from doing the thing, having failures, making corrections, doing better the next time. It seems like people have such a hard time giving grace for experiments and beginnings. Not to mention, the veil of hatred for WFP bc it somehow takes away from the CF games.
The vendor village was absolutely awful, I totally agree. I couldn’t even get the shirt I wanted - so yes. Totally agree - that was a fail. But I knew, coming here for their first year was going to not be a buttoned up experience . I wish them the best and hope to have many ways to watch the athletes. Whatever that may be. They work hard and I hope they get all the opportunities!
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u/WhichMonitor7186 6d ago
When CrossFit started they had millions of dollars coming in annually from seminars and affiliations and a fan base to support the Games. I give WFP 1-2 years max.
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u/ajkeence99 7d ago
They won't make it to fix those problems because they went too big too fast. They have to be hemorrhaging money.
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
I should have added, I didn't have any feeling about WFP either positive or negative before I attended this weekend. I still had fun, I'm just commenting that I don't know that WFP is financially viable in the long run.
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u/bhub01 7d ago
The problem with this being new - It’s not new. All these kinks have been experienced and worked through. Huge overhead plus turnout is a money pit. CrossFit in 2010 may not have filled a stadium, but they were literally creating the brand and were packing Carson in a year.
There has never been a league built for athletes by athletes that’s been successful.
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u/Theundertom 7d ago
True, but it‘s not 2010 anymore. One thing WFP has done is bringing a lot of content creators into the space. Most of their stuff is really good (I agree that the last long docu was really bad). In my opinion this also forces CF to invest more in media again - which will hopefully bring back a bit of the hype of the 2010s.
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u/bhub01 7d ago
I know it’s not 2010. Those growing pains have been made, and corrected, made over and over again. Yet, here we are. I have not watched 1 WFP media video, not because they are good or bad, but because there is no excitement over the events. I watched the first event. It was fine.
What are the stories? Who is going? It’s been decided. What are the workouts? There are no questions about the athletes abilities to do well or compete, this thing is for them. The workouts are safe and frankly, boring. Are there stakes? Is someone changing their life based on their ability to have a good weekend at the WFP?
BTW - the Games has the same problem now.
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u/Poro24 7d ago
Thanks for the thoughts, nice to hear some info from someone who was there. I just watched the streams and really, REALLY enjoyed what I saw. It reminded me of the "good old times" having almost all of the top athletes on the same floor. Everything seemed nicely organized and the attention to detail in the arena was cool. The finals in Copenhagen should be awesome.
WFP seems like a dream come true for the athletes. They get their trips paid, and have a change to earn some big money. I think Roman just earned more in one weekend than all his Games years combined?
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u/Hot-Ring6170 7d ago
Uhm Games years combined I don’t think so. I haven’t looked at his salary he was 2nd in 2022 & 3rd in 2023 that’s >$150k from both. But definitely more than he earned at the Games this yr coming in 9th
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u/Efficient-Slide1446 6d ago
I really like them, great competition and great athletes on the rooster. They have some great sponsorships (I would say better ones than the Games...) and it's only their first year. I hope they keep growing. I'm very curious about the finals in Copenhagen. I think the European market is maybe their best interest. A lot of the big comps are in the USA and that's very expensive for European athletes to attend. (edit: even more expensive for Aussies and Asia)
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u/michmwong Crossfit Almaden 6d ago
Can someone explain the scoring for me?
Did the points they got at tour stop 1 carry over to tour stop 2? Or do they start at 0 at tour stop 2 and then add both points up for Copenhagen?
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u/AndrewHillerFit 7d ago
How were the judges being dickheads?
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
There was one judge in particular that had short blue hair that kept on sending people back I guess for allegedly shuffling their feet? It was the event yesterday with the dumbbell lunges. I was looking at the athlete in particular (I don't remember which one it was) and I did not see the reason why he got sent back/no repped.
That happened twice with the same judge in different heats. I don't know if it's a standards issue or a judge issue.
Maybe it was my lack of understanding, but I am unsure why she sent two of the men back,. Somebody mentioned that she was an issue earlier in the day.
Also, sidenote, huge fan of yours, Hiller.
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u/Theundertom 7d ago
All the noreps from this judge where legit from my point of view. In my opinion we need more judges like her. I think it’s much more common to see judges let a norep slip, than seeing one giving unjustified noreps.
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u/bullerwins 6d ago
I saw it and i can confirm from my point of view those were no reps. Actually if she didn't no rep those Hiller would already had a port about that
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
I was watching and I did not see it. She made quite a production about sending one athlete back twice and then did the same for another in the following heat.
My question was, are the other judges not enforcing the standards or is this judge often in left field? Because I genuinely couldn't see the feet shuffling violation
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u/AndrewHillerFit 7d ago
Thanks for the insight 🫡 I’ll look into these!
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
Retracted my comment after speaking to friend who was judging this weekend...asked about the issue with the blue hair judge. Apparently the two significant no reps were reviewed and substantiated because the athletes shuffled their feet on the DB lunge.
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
Please do, I'm going to try to get some more information from one of my friends that was judging this weekend.
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u/Theundertom 7d ago
I love to see so many self-proclaimed CFOs that are worried about WFP’s finances. Have the Games ever been self-sufficient? As far as I know they always took money from affiliate fees and the open - so every CrossFit affiliate member ends up paying for the games. I have no problem with some investors (or rich people) paying for my entertainment - I enjoy watching it.
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u/Hot-Ring6170 7d ago
I second this. I’ve never understood everyone’s interest with finance as if they are the ones putting the $ up. The reason CFHQ had to give up Quarters/semis is coz it was a money-pit. Affiliates are the ones contributing to the $ prize athletes are winning at the Games….. WFP using investor $ to try a different model to get it going isn’t a bad thing
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
People are really hyper focused about the finances thing in terms of longevity. I don't know enough about quarter/semifinals to make an apt comparison.
My observations about the financial stuff was just that, an observation based upon what I saw this weekend. I'm neutral about WFP.
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u/Hot-Ring6170 7d ago
Longevity & profitability is beyond hard for CrossFit competitions. & to have both very few have it. I’m not trying to be mean about it but many have come & gone & will continue to do so. Because & many organizers say this, if they don’t have a title sponsor(s) it becomes a $ pit. Granite Games, Zelos Games, East Coast Champs etc are few examples I can think of. They used to be staples & now are no more. It was also the reason CrossFit handed over the semifinals & Dave Castro said it himself, they were losing money when they controlled the event.
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
Very well articulated and I agree with your perspective.
Not quite sure why I am getting the downvotes on this thread for sharing my (very boring) thoughts.
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
I am really indifferent about WFP overall, I was just commenting that I don't know how it could be financially viable.
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u/krissn333 7d ago
Yeah I guess I just don’t care if it’s financially viable or not. That part’s none of my business.
I’ve been confused why so many seem so concerned about the finances. OP, I understand you’ve stated you’re indifferent. However, from what I’ve seen, the majority of people screaming “what about the finances?!??” are people who decided from the get-go they’d dump on WFP every chance they got, so, that may be why you’re catching some secondary heat.
The way I see it, the more competition for me to watch, the better. I have no need to speculate about finances bc it’s not my money being spent and I don’t care. Just give me things to watch. If this lasts, great, I’ll have more stuff to watch. If it doesn’t, oh well, I’ll find something else to watch.
It doesn’t have to be complicated but for some reason lately, a lot of people really feel the need to pretend they have any sort of stake in this game 😂
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
The financial stuff was more just an observation based upon what I saw this past weekend, it was also something that my gym friends and I had talked about.
I don't have any skin in the game either way and I certainly did enjoy myself this weekend.
Good for the athletes for getting paid.
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u/Jay-da-GREAT CF-L1 7d ago
I agree with you! It's more from an interest perspective than a negative view.
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u/Anonymousimpreg 7d ago
I'm not sure why I'm getting down voted when I'm literally stating that I'm neutral about WFP.
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u/rajot 7d ago
They aren’t allowing themselves to grow organically, probably for a good reason, so things are gonna be suboptimal for the first years. This first year I expected a total train wreck but it is actually going pretty good allt things considered. Comparing it with 2014-2022 games is always gonna be disappointing.
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u/Sad-Complaint2678 6d ago edited 6d ago
It wont survive, there are no major Crossfit comps that have survived without being subsidized in someway.
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u/WsupWillis 6d ago
All of these words and nothing about the competition itself, seeing your favorite stars shine, the strength of the programming, the variety of the tests, pacing, any thoughts on that, the actual competition performances?
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u/Anonymousimpreg 6d ago
I mentioned seeing my favorite athletes and I thought that was the best part of the WFP.
Programming seemed fine, I really don't have any feelings on it either way, although it was really cool to watch the athletes do a one rep max for the clean.
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u/Ok_Ear_4743 4d ago
It's the first year so of course there will be some growing pains. Remember how the CF Games looked in their first season and even now almost 20 years later, they still have issues. I think the WFP will eventually be okay, they just need time to learn from their mistakes. Also, it would be adventageous for them not to try and directly compete with the CF season. If they could have their 3 stops say a month or so after the games, the second stop a couple of months after that, and say the final a couple of months before the games to give the athletes a legit comp atmosphere before the games, would work. IMO
The funding aspect is a true concern.
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u/traderjames7 7d ago
Let's be honest, its a cluster
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u/ApartCorner6659 6d ago
That’s pretty specific there pal with zero examples of why you think so. Athletes seemed to have a good time. A few equipment issues to be sure but every single event I have ever watched or been to has had those. Other than the 2 mile run, which will never be an exciting event to watch but definitely challenged the athletes given the location/environment, the workouts seemed to cover all the major bases. With only 6 total workouts, some movements were not tested as much as others. Crowd that was there seemed to be enjoying the competition. Vendor village was not much of a village for sure. It was also Labor Day weekend which is less than ideal in the US market. All that being said, not sure where “cluster” even vaguely applies.
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u/PitterPatter74 6d ago
None of these events will ever make money. The CrossFit Games has lasted for so long because it has been funded by the CrossFit Open and sponsors interested in getting into the CrossFit market. When the CF Open Gravy Train stopped in 2025 and major sponsors pulled out, the Games got scaled back in a large way.
Wodapalooza is an exception because (1) it has enough competitors paying entry fees to offset costs, and (2) it's in Miami in the winter. Even then, it's barely broken even.