Strongman reality show

[Matt Meinrod]

I think a reality show a la The Ultimate Fighter on Spike which has turned the UFC into a power house once again is a great idea for Strongman.

How's this sound:

- Huge Mansion in Las Vegas
- The top 16-20 amatuer or up and coming pros in the United States or Canada
- Two teams
- All living in the house together in isolation (no tvs, computers, newpapers)
- Two main stream coaches (Jesse and Ortmayer) or whoever ya know
- All the implements the heart desires
- 24 hour film crew

The premise is to not only show strongman in their training element but to also give it that soap opera drama flare that makes reality tv shows incredibly popular.

At the end of the show the top two competitors from each team square off for the championship and say $100,000 prize money. And each finalist earns their pro card in doing so.

They could even wear t-shirts that sported a sponsered supplment company (Met-rx). And during commercials it would be a bunch of Met-rx advertisements.

I'm seeing gold here people!!!

The only thing I ask in return is my name included on the credits. I need to feed the kids ya know :)

[rod johnson]

not a bad idea.

[Billy Wolt]

I think a reality show a la The Ultimate Fighter on Spike which has turned the UFC into a power house once again is a great idea for Strongman.

How's this sound:

- Huge Mansion in Las Vegas
- The top 16-20 amatuer or up and coming pros in the United States or Canada
- Two teams
- All living in the house together in isolation (no tvs, computers, newpapers)
- Two main stream coaches (Jesse and Ortmayer) or whoever ya know
- All the implements the heart desires
- 24 hour film crew

The premise is to not only show strongman in their training element but to also give it that soap opera drama flare that makes reality tv shows incredibly popular.

At the end of the show the top two competitors from each team square off for the championship and say $100,000 prize money. And each finalist earns their pro card in doing so.

They could even wear t-shirts that sported a sponsered supplment company (Met-rx). And during commercials it would be a bunch of Met-rx advertisements.

I'm seeing gold here people!!!

The only thing I ask in return is my name included on the credits. I need to feed the kids ya know :)

where do i sign up?

[Matt Meinrod]

I really think this is a cool idea and it just might take our sport into the main stream of American athletics. With all the bright minds on this board it's definitely possible.

[Chris McNatt]

That is an interesting Idea.....

I would watch it, but I wonder waht type of drama would escalate out of the house... From what i've seen most of the strongman competitors are friendly... But then again they are not living together!

I vote for Dan Harrison to be on the show. Too bad you can not capture smells on camera, because I hear that Dan has a powerful punch, haha

[Kevin Cronin]

I have got to learn to start attaching my name to things earlier ... :-)

[Garrick Daft]

I've had a similar idea since before the UFC....I've even go the perfect title...and I've got it registered with the WGA (Writer's Guild). I sent it to the people who do the UFC show, the same crew does American Chopper. They never called back or anything. Hollywood is a hard place for outsiders to sell ideas these days....I mean look at the crap they put out anymore...you can tell they only have ideas coming in from limited sources. Anyways, I've got one more way to try and get someone to actually look at the idea and understand the potential...and the man just happens to come to my town every year.

[dave barron]

This was Steve Pulcinella's idea a few years ago, but with the Highland Games and more of a Road Rules kind of thing, with an RV full of Heavies traveling around competing and drinking and discovering the meaning of life.

[Garrick Daft]

All three ideas are different

Matt's is a contest for amateurs.

Mine is a contest for pros.

Steve's is more like a documentary of their life's travels if I 'm reading you right.

[Steve Pulcinella]

My idea was more of the MTV road rules concept. Five Highland athletes travel the country all summer in a small RV all competing every weekend living off of just whatever money they earn that week. We all talked about how funny it would be because we knew so many wacky characters that Dave and I compete with.

But this idea of the "ultimate fighter" type of show is just as valid as doing it with those MMA guys. I think that if they picked the right strongmen it could be way more entertaining. Instead of sheltering them from the outside world like 'ultimate fighter' does it would be more entertaining to really expose them to the outside world more. Just let the viking aspect of the guys come out, have them running around causing public destruction and bringoing women back to the house and shit like that. Real old school Jon Pall type of stuff!

How about "Strongman eye for the Queer Guy"? Take a very fem gay guy and have five strongmen try to turn him into a fire breathing strongman! ok....that's stupid I know.

[Mike Westerling]

How about "Strongman eye for the Queer Guy"? Take a very fem gay guy and have five strongmen try to turn him into a fire breathing strongman! ok....that's stupid I know.

I'd watch it! If you get the right pros to do it I may start cross-dressing just to get the free training advice-lol!
-Mike

[Billy Wolt]

How about "Strongman eye for the Queer Guy"? Take a very fem gay guy and have five strongmen try to turn him into a fire breathing strongman! ok....that's stupid I know.

that's been done, look at Dan.

[Jamie McEwan]

I think it's a really good idea for the purpose of bringing strongman into the mainstream. However, I've watched a lot of interviews with ex-reality show participants and they all seem to say that the producers asked them to start "drama" with each other in order to sell the show.
The thing about strongman that I absolutely love is the friendly atmosphere, the supportive competitors, and the positive attitudes that most competitors exhibit. I honestly think that a show like this would threaten the sport's image as positive, and may promote negativity in future competitors who are being exposed to strongman for the first time through this show. Therefore, I think it'd be a good idea to have the producers not try to treat the guys like caged animals.

If it works out well, it'll be awesome for the sport. This is just something to think about.

[Christian Dorr]

I like all of the ideas here, but I think there's something to Steve's idea about an RV full of Strongmman/Throwers going around the country for a summer and only living off of what they make. It would add some added drama if they didn't win any money that weekend. At that point they'd have to do something in order to have some money to get food etc. And we all know how important food is!

Now all we have to do is find someone who will put a show like this together!

[Brandon Campbell]

haha sounds like a great idea except, Unlike UFC and boxing and all that. Strongman takes alot longer to get better at. The training is boaring to watch to the average person, and how on earth would you do a face off? have a mini competition once a week. A strongman reality shows sounds interesting but in the actual reality i dont think it would be very interesting.

The only possible thing to do would be a documentry of strongman like how pumping iron was. That would be a much better idea.

[Matt Meinrod]

I disagree about the entertainment value. If MTV Real World can be on air for 15 years and all they do is get drunk and live in a huge house then anything is possible. As long as they keep it real, you know showing puking after events, athletes dealing with life outside of training but aren't allowed to see their families.

And the contest would be set up a lot like UFC. The coaches would pick the competitors each week to square off against one another. Winner moves on, loser goes home. Each week there is a contest and one elimination. Which is why it would be crucial for the teams coach to stay in control of the selection process...just check out the Ultimate Fighter on Spike, it works out great.

[Garrick Daft]

The only possible thing to do would be a documentry of strongman like how pumping iron was. That would be a much better idea.

Did you know that George Butler had filmed the whole documentary, went back to edit it and did not have a story? He then had to go back and "script" a lot of footage to get something that was marketable...he had a good vision. His documentary "Endurance" is definitely one of the greatest things I have ever seen. The people who made the "STRONGMAN" documentary about Hugo Girard were trying to do exactly what you mentioned..make it like "Pumping Iron". I've never seen that documentary but I've heard it is good. I have my own ideas too, and will see them through..because I am that way.

[Matt Seymour]

I dig this idea alot. But I think Kaz should be one of the coaches. And then maybe Jaime Reeves, Magnuson or Joukha. And then each week would be a single event face off with the coaches picking the competitors. Example, Tire flip for reps one week, max log press the next, stones etc...etc... And I agree with Matt, the training is almost the same as the events, as far as spectating goes, and there is plenty of colorful people in the sport to make it appeal on the Reality front. I like it.

[FredHarrington]

How about "Strongman eye for the Queer Guy"? Take a very fem gay guy and have five strongmen try to turn him into a fire breathing strongman! ok....that's stupid I know.

i'd actually love to watch that :LOL:

[Garrick Daft]

One more thing...IFSA has been working on a reality show since they split from the WSM...I don't think they are getting much traction with it though...lacks vision.

[tackle78]

haha sounds like a great idea except, Unlike UFC and boxing and all that. Strongman takes alot longer to get better at. The training is boaring to watch to the average person, and how on earth would you do a face off? have a mini competition once a week. A strongman reality shows sounds interesting but in the actual reality i dont think it would be very interesting.

The only possible thing to do would be a documentry of strongman like how pumping iron was. That would be a much better idea.


You're right about the improvement factor. One month is simply not enough time to get "That" much better. But I think you're wrong about the training. Yeah I'm sure the average guy doesn't want to see someone do 15 sets of cleans or anything like that. But watching ME lifts heavy, everyone likes to see that. Any guy on this board who trains at a commercial gym would be able to tell you that when they squat over 400 everyone watches them. But I think the competitions between teams could be some kind of rotating event where the team does something like picking their top three at that given event to preform. Like IFSA did with the team worlds and the log press for example. Three guys, most combined reps wins.
Then the advantage of the head to head would be the winning team got to choose not only the participants, but the event.
This way the lesser all around guys would still be able to take out fantastic guys. Like one of the competitors has just crazy grip, well he challenges the best guy on the other team to a farmer's comp and then has a chance. This format works with most events and would make it really unique down the stretch. I also think the parody would be amazing. Some guys more athletic then others and get stuck in the 1 on 1 max log with a pure presser.

The possibilities are endless. Plus the actual footage you could cut up with like 14 or more guys training each week would be fantastic. Plus there are simply a ton of characters in all strength sports. If everybody got along, there would be great comedy with practical jokes, and if they didn't get along, then there is alot to go on too.

Fantastic idea Matt! This is good enough to actually happen!

[Chris Bartley]

The possibilities are endless. Plus the actual footage you could cut up with like 14 or more guys training each week would be fantastic. Plus there are simply a ton of characters in all strength sports. If everybody got along, there would be great comedy with practical jokes, and if they didn't get along, then there is alot to go on too.


the general public wants drama most of the time, not nice guys high fiving eachother

[tackle78]

the general public wants drama most of the time, not nice guys high fiving eachother


There would be drama either way. I a guy gets matched up in the scenario I was talking about earlier with the grip thing, you don't think he'd be bitching about how much stronger he was, save for the one thing, and what bullshit...yadayadayada. With highly competitive people, put in a confined environment where they're forced to deal with eachother, and occasionally alcohol is involved, drama will come, doesn't need to be created.

[JohnWietzel]

I think it should be like that "AND ONE" show that ESPN used to air (does it still?). You can pick a bunch of good amateurs/pros and then have them all in the bus travelling to various cities. The drama happens both on the road and when arriving to the new city. In the new city, there is a strongman competition where any and all local strongmen can come to (local pro's or local am's) and if a local guy wins the competition then one of the guys on the bus gets kicked off. Either have him voted off or the guy that did the worst at the competition gets the boot. The travelling carnival act can help promote the show to people, promote strongman competitions in general, and give plenty of strongmen exposure on TV in hopes of getting some endorsements spread around.

Just a thought.

Regards,

John Jr.

[Mac Smith]

As much as I'd love to have a show like this to further the sport, I think strongman lacks the three factors that make a reality show worth watching to the general public. Those three things being: Sex, Violence, and/or a potentionally huge payday. Strongman lacks all these.

I, too, think the pumping iron idea is better. I know they tried to do this with Hugo, but he isn't a big, known name. The big story behind Pumping Iron was basically Arnold going for his 7th win. I think someone should do a strongman documentary following Mariusz only because he is the only multi-time champion competing today. Only problem is who would play the Lou Ferrigno character. Jesse is way too charismatic for that role and Savickas is with the IFSA.

[Ben Booker]

Sounds great, but who would cover the food tab?J/K

I would watch.

[Ben Booker]

As much as I'd love to have a show like this to further the sport, I think strongman lacks the three factors that make a reality show worth watching to the general public. Those three things being: Sex, Violence, and/or a potentionally huge payday. Strongman lacks all these.

I, too, think the pumping iron idea is better. I know they tried to do this with Hugo, but he isn't a big, known name. The big story behind Pumping Iron was basically Arnold going for his 7th win. I think someone should do a strongman documentary following Mariusz only because he is the only multi-time champion competing today. Only problem is who would play the Lou Ferrigno character. Jesse is way too charismatic for that role and Savickas is with the IFSA.

That would be awesome.

[tackle78]

As much as I'd love to have a show like this to further the sport, I think strongman lacks the three factors that make a reality show worth watching to the general public. Those three things being: Sex, Violence, and/or a potentionally huge payday. Strongman lacks all these.

I, too, think the pumping iron idea is better. I know they tried to do this with Hugo, but he isn't a big, known name. The big story behind Pumping Iron was basically Arnold going for his 7th win. I think someone should do a strongman documentary following Mariusz only because he is the only multi-time champion competing today. Only problem is who would play the Lou Ferrigno character. Jesse is way too charismatic for that role and Savickas is with the IFSA.

I think the torture a competitor puts himself through during both grueling training and competitions qualifies as violent. Especially after some editing, ripped callouses, vomiting, injury's....I think it could peak interest.

I don't know much but I do know this, my mother, who is a 5'2" angry swede and never done an athletic thing in her life outside of milking cows always got mad at me around Christmas when I would watch the newly unveiling of WSM. Then one day she stopped cooking and watched Magnus do stones in Zambia. If you'll remember thats the one where he got the whole crowd chanting and managed to lift the 5th stone when no one could. ANyway, she now TIVO's strongman and I asked her why she loves it now. And she told me she knows how hard I train and beat myself up, and to get to the level those guys are at she can't imagine. And she loves to see the big men crack the occasional joke, something about giant men seeming human.....

That or maybe she's just an angry Viking who likes to see big things moved...who knows. ;)

[MaxMisch]

I would definitely want to be a competitor in a reality show like that. It would be fun as hell. :D

Also, it's a given that my reputation would reel in a ton of viewers. ;)

[Patrick McGuffin]

Dont forget the occasional teen strongman stuff going on.

[chrisklavette]

This is all great stuff! I think it would also be cool to see two different weight classes. Seeing the pound for pound strength in guys under 225 would be really impressive. I always dig that at the local events and I know a lot of other people do as well. One problem with the sport getting more coverage and publicity would be the pressure from the outside public to test for gear. If those in charge refuse to do it the athletes get a bad rep in the public eye and if they do start testing it really hurts the sport

[chrisklavette]

Did anyone see the MTV show that had kevin nee on an episode? I think a documentry with the strongmen of america would be great. Have Jesse as the "arnold" part and travis as the "lou"

[Garrick Daft]

Did anyone see the MTV show that had kevin nee on an episode? I think a documentry with the strongmen of america would be great. Have Jesse as the "arnold" part and travis as the "lou"


Screw that, Travis isn't a loser dude.

[chrisklavette]

wow, I didnt mean it that way at all. I just meant it would be good competition. Ferrigno was no chump by any stretch of the imagination

[Garrick Daft]

wow, I didnt mean it that way at all. I just meant it would be good competition. Ferrigno was no chump by any stretch of the imagination

Well, I didn't mean to take a dump on your opinion or idea, but Big Louie was made to look like a little lamb at the mercy of the big bad wolf. Travis is hardly a lamb!! I'm sure there are a few people that are glad he is competing against Vasyl in Hungary on June 3rd rather then competing at the Mohegan today. IMO Travis would stomp Mariusz's heart into the ground. When Travis is done with Z, maybe he'll come over and be the first person in history to claim the IFSA and WSM. There's your story.

[Ian Duggan]

I can imagine a couple of problems with this.

Firstly the road to pro strongman is not one being taken by thousands of athletes - the supply of spaces is equal or greater than the demand. It's not like UFC, or to take it to extremes the NFL, where there are thousands or hundreds of thousands of people waiting in the wings to become pros.

Secondly, reality TV needs conflict to work. Watching a group of determined athletes going about their very intense training day in day out would be great TV for those of us who do similar stuff to a lesser degree, but to 99.9% of the population, it would be dull as ditch-water. The amount of tears and tantrums that a group of Strongmen would provide would be next to zero I would expect. Because being a Strongman isn't about ego or fame or money, it's about being a Strongman.

Thirdly, people would have to go and live in this house day in, day out for possibly months on end. And the financial reward at the end? Well, Strongman isn't exactly the highest payed sport in the world is it? Other than the top... what 5 or 10 maybe in the world, I don't think anybody else is making enough to live off exclusively.

Whilst the sport of Strongman is growing at a rapid rate in the US, it's still a million miles off being a huge spectator sport, and this after all is the only thing that can provide large amounts of income. I mean, look at the difference in attendance between the last IFSA meeting and the last UFC (again, just as an example of another minority sport). Still a long way off.

Just my $.02, feel free to ignore / ridicule as you see fit...

[tackle78]

[QUOTE=Ian Duggan]I can imagine a couple of problems with this.



Secondly, reality TV needs conflict to work. Watching a group of determined athletes going about their very intense training day in day out would be great TV for those of us who do similar stuff to a lesser degree, but to 99.9% of the population, it would be dull as ditch-water. The amount of tears and tantrums that a group of Strongmen would provide would be next to zero I would expect. Because being a Strongman isn't about ego or fame or money, it's about being a Strongman.



Well I was training at Pat Militech's Champion's gym when they were talking about doing the first UFC show and this is what Pat said and why he wouldn't be a coach. Looks like he made a poor decision there. But of course he is still the greatest MMA coach of all time.

[Matt Meinrod]

I hear everyone's points, but let me rebut a little.

Everyone likes to say how nice and gentlemen strongman are and that may very well be true, however, creative editing and 300lb grown men in a house without luxory has drama in the making. Anyone who says otherwise has never seen any type of reality show: Ultimate Fighter, Real World, Survivor, etc...hell if Nick and Jessica on The Newlyweds can be intriguing and the #1 show, anything can.

Anyone who has watched reality shows knows that 45 minutes of the show is just interaction among people (athletes) living in the house to get to know them on a personal level. Then the last 15 minutes are delegated to actual contests, events, fights, etc...

Point being the show is based around the people, not the weight lifting.

And you're right, the money isn't there in strongman YET. But it very well could be with the right sponsorship. Remember, people thought American Idol would flop and get canceled when it came from England to America.

I just see the potential in this idea based on the UFC template. The company wasn't making a lot of money, didn't have the huge fan base, lacked organization...then got bought out by Zuffa...Dana White comes in, along with other smart young minds...gets broadcasted all over Spike TV, comes with a reality show, has sponsers like Xyience, hot ring girls like Rachelle Leah...and WHAM! Pay Per View is through the roof!

[Kevin Cronin]

I can imagine a couple of problems with this.

Firstly the road to pro strongman is not one being taken by thousands of athletes - the supply of spaces is equal or greater than the demand. It's not like UFC, or to take it to extremes the NFL, where there are thousands or hundreds of thousands of people waiting in the wings to become pros.

i agree with you about the nfl, but disagree about the ufc. how many times have you seen a guy on the undercard of a ppv and then never heard from him again. In fact, i htink the ufc and strongman are very similar in that regard, the top guys have been there for a while, have name recognition, everyone else is trying to scratch their way in.


Secondly, reality TV needs conflict to work. Watching a group of determined athletes going about their very intense training day in day out would be great TV for those of us who do similar stuff to a lesser degree, but to 99.9% of the population, it would be dull as ditch-water. The amount of tears and tantrums that a group of Strongmen would provide would be next to zero I would expect. Because being a Strongman isn't about ego or fame or money, it's about being a Strongman.

I bet thats what a lot of mma guys would've said too, and look at the first season. the reality is that everyone's an individual and there are always going to be individual conflicts. It's not guaranteed there WILL be a conflict, but neither is it guaranteed there wont be.


Thirdly, people would have to go and live in this house day in, day out for possibly months on end. And the financial reward at the end? Well, Strongman isn't exactly the highest payed sport in the world is it? Other than the top... what 5 or 10 maybe in the world, I don't think anybody else is making enough to live off exclusively.

This is somewhat of a chicken and an egg question to me - if the show's sucessful, I have to imagine the advertising would provide more than enough $$$ to provide for a worthwhile prize.

I think you bring up a lot of valid points, but I just thought that there were valid counter arguments. The more I think about this idea the more I like the idea of either a) a "pumping iron" format ie filming mariusz going for his 4th, or Zydrunas going for his first WSM after all his other wins and 2nd places in wsm (if we ever get this split crap worked out, but thats a whole other thread) or b) a "road rules" type travel show. Neither of these would depend as much on conflict (or at least not nonsense soap opera drama) as a "house show" would

[Ian Duggan]

I think you bring up a lot of valid points, but I just thought that there were valid counter arguments. The more I think about this idea the more I like the idea of either a) a "pumping iron" format ie filming mariusz going for his 4th, or Zydrunas going for his first WSM after all his other wins and 2nd places in wsm (if we ever get this split crap worked out, but thats a whole other thread) or b) a "road rules" type travel show. Neither of these would depend as much on conflict (or at least not nonsense soap opera drama) as a "house show" would
Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly that there's a documentary of some nature waiting to be made about strongman. In fact I've got a film-maker friend who did a documentary about a Scottish band trying to make it in LA after being signed by an American label, and over a beer or seven we've discussed endlessly how great it would be to follow a strongman or ten for a season.

Just seeing the training, the injuries, the general stuff like eating and nutritiona and what not would be interesting viewing, let alone actually getting in with a few amatures trying to make it as pros or some up and coming pros trying to break into the upper echelons.

IMO that would work 1000 times better for the sport than a reality show, but right enough it doesn't have the potential to make changes to the sport in the way that a long-term TV series does.

[chrisklavette]

I think a good idea would be having a couple of specials on TLC about certain strongmen. See what kind of interest this stirs up and build a show off the buzz. All in all I deep down believe that bodybuilding will always be more appealing to the general uninformed public because if John Q is going to emulate someone physically I think he is 9 times out of 10 going to go the route of vanity over performance.