Spartan Front Office, Nov. 2021: Spartan Games 2.0, SpartanTV and More
Every month, Spartan Front Office rounds up the latest news from Spartan headquarters: exciting new partnerships, bold first-time initiatives, entries into new spaces, and more.
2020 was one big obstacle. There’s no other way to say it. We were locked down for much of the year, we couldn’t spend time with family and friends, and we didn’t know when we’d return to any sense of normalcy. But even though we couldn’t put on events, our goal of getting people off the couch never changed.
So when the calendar flipped to 2021, we once again did what we do best: lined up 50-plus events in the U.S. and produced more badass content than ever to help people live the Spartan lifestyle.
Was it easy? Hell no. But in case you haven’t met us, you should know that we prefer to Do Hard Shit.
This month, we’re filming new shows, making new friends, and taking our events where they’ve never been before. Hell, we even launched our own TV channel.
Our sights are set on a BIG 2022, but there’s plenty to mention before we get there. Here’s what’s happening at Spartan HQ in November.
SpartanTV: Now Streaming
More than 400 hours of badass content is now streaming in your living room.
In partnership with Fast Studios, Spartan recently launched SpartanTV, a live 24/7 streaming OTT channel featuring our original series, Master Coach-led workouts, broadcasts from our biggest races, and more. If you didn’t think you could get stronger watching TV, you would be right — but this would be the closest thing.
Spartan and Fast Studios are bringing the channel to a multitude of connected TV video platforms on your smart TV or device — including XUMO, LG Channels, Plex, and more — so viewers of those apps will have direct access to the channel. Each of those platforms will use their own marketing juice to promote the SpartanTV channel to their subscribers, driving awareness to new viewers outside of the Spartan ecosystem.
Related: Do Hard Shit, Ep. 1: Trevor Franklin Vs. an NFL Linebacker in DEKA FIT
Connected TV video platforms offer guaranteed impression value in the millions each month. Branded integrations and commercial plays will position our partners throughout the broadcast experience as viewers tune in. Spartan has already positioned select brand partners within the channel content and commercial inventory, but new brands have the opportunity to be featured in future months. Learn more here.
First Look: Spartan Games 2.0 Presented by Air Force Special Warfare
Air Force Special Warfare knows that finding the next class of operators will require a particular individual — one that is adaptable, has been tested, and can deliver under pressure.
When they saw the 2020 Spartan Games, they knew it was a battle that required a level of fitness unlike any other Spartan event, and that the winner had to be tough enough for any challenge. The characteristics of airmen were in each competitor. In 2021, they approached us with an offer to elevate the next Spartan Games, and to be honest, we were scared for the athletes. (We saw what they did to Spartan founder and CEO Joe De Sena back in 2019.)
Spartan and AFSW collaborated on a revamped Spartan Games that included a grueling event schedule, tactical challenges, and the element of surprise. The Special Warfare brand was front and center throughout the event, as airmen led mission briefings and offered guidance on challenges that were foreign to the athletes.
The show release, slated for the first quarter of 2022, will include breakout content on the careers that make up the Special Warfare unit. Those segments will build on the momentum of the episodes and reinforce our partnership with AFSW.
Much like our partnership with Air Force Special Warfare, Spartan Productions can tell your brand’s story. Learn more here.
Titan Fitness: The New Official Training Partner of Spartan North America
The pandemic shifted the dynamic of exercise entirely. The home fitness equipment market spiked, gyms closed down, and people learned the value of maintaining their health and wellness. Spartan had partnered with home fitness brands in the past to deliver endemic products for our audience to get ready for their next race, but a full line of equipment that Spartans could trust was still missing.
That’s why Titan Fitness is coming in as the official training partner of Spartan North America. Not only do they create badass fitness equipment, but they practically have the same logo as we do, which makes our collaboration a little easier on the eyes. Spartan and Titan will be collaborating on a full line of products that will launch in 2022, targeting functional fitness, strength, and OCR training.
Titan will also be integrated into the race-day experience, providing the equipment for the Spartan Coaching Zone. (Available in the Spartan festival area, the Spartan Coaching Zone gives athletes the opportunity to practice before hitting the course.) Titan equipment will also be a fixture in the DEKA FIT arena, a functional fitness experience that tests racers in a variety of zones. Titan will provide equipment and have branding visibility within such zones as the Box Jump, Farmer’s Carry, and Dead Ball throws.
The advertising and licensing partnership leads a strong partnership lineup for Spartan in 2022. As Spartan continues to expand into new fitness experiences and platforms to reach our growing audience, opportunities for partnerships will become more and more valuable. Get in touch with us about partnering in 2022.
The Spartan Event We’ve All Been Waiting For
The Spartan World Championship is coming to the desert in 2021. A year removed from the initial launch date in 2020, the first Spartan World Championship to be held outside of the U.S. will take place on Dec. 3-5 in the Liwa Desert, outside of Abu Dhabi. The already epic annual event will take on a new landscape that most global Spartan competitors have never faced before. Adding to the status of the event will be the host partner, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, which manages bookings for all major sporting events in the area, including the World Swimming Championships, Formula 1 racing, the UFC, and many more.
The World Championship event will have all of the classic Spartan elements: a festival area filled with sponsors and activities for fans, the signature obstacles we’re known for, a course that will test any competitor, and the top endurance athletes in the world battling for the No. 1 spot on the most important Spartan podium of the year. While the event is centered around the World Championship Beast heat taking place on Friday afternoon, Spartans of every level will have the opportunity to participate in Open Beast, Super, and Kids heats. The electric energy in the festival area and exposure to partner activations and branding will be at an all-time high.
Related: SEE IT: Joe De Sena Visits Abu Dhabi Ahead of the World Championship
Both global and local sponsorships will be activated throughout the event weekend through experiential footprints, event branding and signage, digital content, and a TV broadcast that will be released in 2022. The Spartan World Championship is always covered and broadcasted through premium content channels and platforms, and this year it will be made available through Outside TV, in addition to SpartanTV and Spartan’s owned social platforms and digital channels. Learn more about how to get involved in this year’s event here.
