Bodybuilding legend and Arnold Classic co-founder Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced that the 2024 Arnold Classic live stream will be free for all. Widely considered as the second most prestigious professional bodybuilding competition in the world, Arnold Classic followed the pay-per-view model so far.
Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition is a part of the multi-sport annual event known as the Arnold Sports Festival. It consists of bodybuilding, strongman as well as powerlifting. Established in 1989, the Arnold Sports Festival usually takes place in late February or early March in Columbus, Ohio.
Joe Weider’s Olympia predates the Arnold Classic by a considerable margin. It offers bigger prizes and winning the Olympia title is generally considered to be the pinnacle of achievements in the world of competitive bodybuilding.
However, most of the elite bodybuilders vying for the Olympia title contest at the Arnold Classic as well. Additionally, many elite bodybuilders’ legacies are also defined by the number of Arnold Classic titles won by them.
Several competitive sports in the USA and around the world follow the pay-per-view model for their grandest competitions. Boxing, MMA and bodybuilding all fall into this category where the show is not aired on linear television or the free channels. Those willing to watch the event have to buy the pay-per-view to immerse themselves in the experience. However, that is about the change in the bodybuilding realm, at least for Arnold Classic.
Arnold Schwarzenegger announces that the 2024 Arnold Classic will stream for free
Arnold Schwarzenegger has extended his legacy far beyond winning the Mr. Olympia titles. He is hailed as one of the most iconic figures that have contributed significantly to making bodybuilding a mainstream sport, contributing significantly to its growth.
The Terminator star continues to utilize his influence to make bodybuilding even bigger and recently announced a move that can make bodybuilding more accessible to the masses.
Schwarzenegger took to his personal Instagram account to announce that Arnold Classic will stream free of cost in the year 2024. However, it is not clear at the moment if the practice will continue for every year from now onwards or if the announcement is applicable only for the 2024 chapter. Meanwhile, Mr. Olympia has been following the pay-per-view model and does not have the plans to switch things up.
See the post below, courtesy of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s personal Instagram account:
“My goal has always been to grow the sport of bodybuilding, and I want everyone to be able to watch and be inspired by the Arnold Classic, no matter how much money they have, so this year, the livestream will be free,” Arnold wrote in the caption to his post.
The announcement will definitely draw more eyeballs to the Arnold Classic. Additionally, the announcement comes at a time when the interest in the sport is at its peak due to the ongoing 2023 Olympia competition.
2023 Arnold Classic winners and top ranked competitors like Samson Dauda, Ramon Rocha Queiroz and Urs Kalecinski are all frontrunners to win the Olympia titles in various divisions. Meanwhile, the 2024 Arnold Classic will take place from March 1-3 in Columbus, Ohio.
Published: 4 November, 2023 | 10:48 AM EDT
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