If you are in the fitness industry and you are not an actual CrossFitter then you have likely heard or thought CrossFit is just a fad — when will it end?
Right?
Is it really a fad though? The naysayers are actually becoming the supporters in recent months so is it possible CrossFit is here to stay?
I don’t think CrossFit is a fad but I do suggest CrossFit is doomed. Why?
Is it the poor programming? Often done by under-trained Cert-One’ers?
Is it the 100% chance of injury dark cloud that hangs over the sport?
Or maybe, is it the Corporation of CrossFit itself and some new competition?
Enter the NPFL
The National Pro Fitness League (NPFL) is the first coed professional sport that centers around the sport of functional fitness. Since writing this article, the NPFL is now calling itself the NPGL — National Pro Grid League (I am not sure why) but I am keeping the article the way it was originally written, feel free to comment on the NPGL name change in the comments section.You may have read my previous article where I interviewed one of the NPFL coaches, Justin Cotler.
The NPFL refers to itself as the natural evolution in the sport of fitness. And it’s hard not to agree. I myself have looked into creating leagues of boxes competing against other boxes, which by the way, I still think is a great idea. If you love sports, competition, strategy, team motivation, and fitness, then the NPFL is the greatest thing to happen to fitness since… well… CrossFit.
But Shouldn’t the NPFL help build CrossFit and the “Sport of Fitness“?
Of course the NPFL should help CrossFit! But can the egos at CrossFit head quarters handle another major player in the Sport of Fitness?
Perhaps not.
Patrick McCarty of Breaking Muscle.com wrote an article after the NPFL LA Reign franchise signed star “CrossFit” athlete Lindsey Valenzuela. McCarty points out that maybe CrossFit doesn’t really like this whole NPFL thing.
Why wouldn’t CrossFit want the NPFL?
Is it because CF HQ didn’t think of making it a team sport first? No. The founder of the NPFL, Tony Budding, actually worked for CrossFit just a few years ago and proposed the idea to them. They of course declined.
Is it because they don’t want to end their monopoly over the sport of fitness? Maybe. I mean CrossFit has been able to do pretty much been whatever they want with no competition for years and everything they do seems to produce a gold mine of success.
Personally, I think it is because CrossFit has been cashing in on the backs of its athletes and the NPFL wants to actually reward these athletes the way they should be rewarded. Other than the Rich Fronings of CrossFit, how many of these athletes are living off of CrossFit? Seriously are any? Most either own a gym to pay the bills or have a completely separate job that may or may not have anything to do with fitness.
CrossFit is genius. They have built a very rich, very successful corporation, and they don’t even pay their star employees. Sure the winners of the games get paid, but what about all the other stars making CrossFit famous and not being rewarded on the winners’ podium? Any podium?!
Some of those same stars standing on those past podiums are now in the NPFL — getting paid!
Check out Iceland Annie talking about why she signed with the NPFL’s NY Rhinos.
Even last year’s winner of the title, Fittest Woman on Earth, Sam Briggs has joined the NPFL:
And why wouldn’t they? They get to be a part of a team, doing what they love, and making money in the process. And although the money will likely be small in the beginning, the potential of the NPFL is tremendous. It is only a matter of time before these athletes are getting paid serious money — LIKE THEY DESERVE.
So what is CrossFit’s response?
Will they create their own league? Will they start paying their athletes?
Yes and No
CrossFit has announced it will have its own team competitions starting this fall — conveniently in the midst of the inaugural NPFL season. But guess what? The athletes themselves have to PAY to be in the league. I want to laugh and talk about how absurd this is, but honestly I will be shocked if they don’t make money on this. In fact, I will be surprised if they don’t make more money than the NPFL in this new team competition they are creating. CrossFit truly does act like a cult and cult members will tend to follow their leader — right?
Not so fast…
I tend to think the average CrossFit fan will follow the athletes like Sam Briggs and Annie Thorisdottir and not Dave Castro and Greg Glassman. Do you agree?
I do know when CrossFit star, Andrea Ager, referred to the NPFL as a CrossFit league, that CrossFit HQ was sure quick to put her in her place. But Andrea’s fans were quick to come to her support and I don’t remember many in my timeline coming to Russ Greene’s side.
Is this how successful corporations treat their top money makers?
CrossFit as a training program is full of flaws and as I have written in past articles; I think it needs to evolve to truly prosper. But neither of these detriments will bring down the mighty CrossFit. If CrossFit does near its end, it will be due to the arrogance of its corporation and the unfair treatment towards the very heart of their success — their stars.
Do you think CrossFit is doomed? Will the NPFL hurt or help CrossFit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
Special thanks the National Pro Fitness League (now the NPGL) for providing us with the amazing NPFL pictures seen in this article.
I just heard of NPFL a few weeks ago. I didn’t think it was going to happen this quickly but I had no idea Annie and Sam had signed. It makes me wonder what’s next. Yes, I would follow the athletes over the sport but CF HQ better figure out how to adapt. Curious how this will affect the Games!
Several games athletes have signed with the now NPGL (still unsure on why they changed from NPFL). The NPGL was smart to start their season after the games, which is likely why so many of the big names have signed up — Danielle Sidelle, Christy Adkins (formerly Phillips), Sakamoto, Allesandra Pichelli, Neil Maddox, Kenny Leverich, and more…I know a few other big names have also been reported to have signed but are not officially listed. Some rumblings in forums that CF HQ has influenced them (Akinwale, Ben Smith, and maybe Briggs) to NOT participate in the NPGL but this is all hearsay and cannot be confirmed.
Here is a tweet from Ben Smith: Really excited to be a part of the @newyorkrhinos TEAM this year! It’s gonna be fun!! #gorhinos—
Ben Smith (@Ben_Smith13) April 24, 2014
But now Ben Smith is not listed as being on the Rhinos.
And this was tweeted from the Rhinos:Your New York Rhinos lineup (so far…): @IcelandAnnie | @Ben_Smith13 | @ScottPanchik | @shawn_brx | @Dani_Sidell | @AmyPistol #gorhinos—
New York Rhinos (@newyorkrhinos) April 23, 2014
So for some reason Scott Panchik and Ben Smith seemed to be on the Rhinos in April but are not on the official roster posted on the NPFL website. Make of that what you will.
Ben Smith, Sam briggs, Scott Panchick, Chyna Cho, and Neil Maddox have back down from the NPGL. I think they were pressure from sponsors like reebok.
That does make sense. There are a few NPGL athletes sponsored by Reebok (Andrea Ager comes to mind) but maybe CrossFit HQ used sponsor’s money influence to pressure the big names/top competitors. It does seem to be only bigger names backing out of the NPGL. And maybe the Christy Adkins and Lindsey Valenzuela types still in the NPGL are just resisting that pressure?
Many people feel the name change from NPFL to NPGL was a result of a threatened lawsuit. The term “fitness” was in dispute. Even though the NPFL could have won in court (just as the term “pilates” was considered ok to use in another court ruling), the NPFL decided to cave because a lengthy suit would have postponed the draft and the start of the first season. At least that is the speculation.
Ah rumors…what should we believe? Of all the rumors I’ve heard these are the easiest to believe; the NPFL changed its name because the NFL pressured them to (not Crossfit HQ).The NFL is big, powerful, loaded with money, and historically a pretty shady company – a shady company that gets away with being shady. What other company can openly commit collusion and not only get away with it in court but penalize the only two teams that did not act illegally? The NFL likely thought the “P” was not enough separation from their monopoly and threatened Mr. Budding. But this is a small issue for the NP(G)L. The real issue is who is responsible for all these athletes dropping out? The obvious guess is CrossFit again. But I think it’s more likely a sponsor of CrossFit. CrossFit has no pull, as stated in this article — they don’t pay. Who pays? Reebok, Rogue, and Progenex. I think Reebok and Rogue are above this high school shit. But not Progenex. First of all Progenex’s owner, Stuart Zuckerman, is currently doing time in prison for fraud. And they are currently being investigated for an illegal hacking scheme. Progenex lives and dies on Crossfit and if Crossfit is jeopardized they are done. The thug mentality is to destroy the threat – destroy the NPGL. Do you think it is a coincidence that Sam Briggs, Ben Smith, and now Alea Helmick have all dropped out of the NPGL and are all Progenex athletes? Do you think it is a coincidence that Lindsey Valenzuela was a Progenex athlete until she joined the NPGL and now she no longer is? I think Progenex is down to only two of their athletes in the NPGL – Noah Olsen and Daniel Tyminski. I would pay attention to what happens to them. Alea dropped out today; if Noah and Daniel drop out or change sponsors then you know who to blame.
You would think Progenex would invite the free advertising it would get by their star athletes not only doing CrossFit, but additionally participating in the NPGL.
Well are all the crossfit stars under contract with dave castro(he bugs me by the way)..if no or not getting paid they should be able to do whatever they want..just saying..i would like to join something like the npgl…seems like fun..just sayin..
I like the idea of the NPGL but it would be so much more interesting if the best CrossFit athletes were included. I honestly don’t recognize very many names on these rosters. I feel the NPGL may be doomed because I really don’t think the fan base is there. Sure the Crossfit Games draws tens of thousands out to Carson but thats once a year to watch the CrossFit worlds elite. However, the NPGL is trying to draw fans out on a Tuesday night to watch athletes who aren’t household names. I also find it hysterical that Tony Budding envisions the NPGL to be bigger than the NHL in the USA, are you kidding me? Over 3/4’s of the NHL teams in the USA sell out their rinks with nearly 20,000 fans A GAME.. Their players make millions of dollars, the only CrossFitter that will ever be a millionaire is Rich and he had to win the games 4 times to do it. My last thought on this is Dave Castro will somehow screw over these NPGL athletes, I invision him stipulating any athlete that has competed as a “Professional” in the NPGL is unable to compete in the CrossFit Games Open, Regionals, Games…
Adam, I agree with pretty much everything you say except I think many of the best CrossFit athletes are competing in the NPGL. Last night’s match featured the second place Games finisher for both men and women — Matt Frazier and Annie Thorisdottir. Both the teams were loaded with top performing Games athletes. When Andrea Ager and Valerie Vobiril are sitting the bench and Kristan Clever hardly gets playing time — you know these teams are loaded with the “best” athletes. I will concede though this is a different sport. Grid demands the athlete be more explosive and fast. Some of the more endurance type athletes will not necessarily excel as much. The athletes still need fast recovery but the time under stress is shorter. An athlete like Taylar Stallings will be better at Grid than Camille LeBlanc.
And very interesting idea that Castro might amateurize the games to eliminate professional athletes. I imagine this would be a legal nightmare for crossfit though — since most games athletes are professionals in that they make money from their sponsors. But I can see Castro still trying this. Even if it means half of this year’s games athletes would be ineligible in 2015.
This is absolutely bizarre. What a bizarre self-sustaining community of weirdos! Crapfit is just that, CRAP! Tatted up douchebags throwing weight around with horrible form bowing to the god of narcissism. Stop wasting time and play a real sport.