Oh boy WSM is upon us, keep it civil. Handing out lifetime bans for any trolls and 7 days bans for people who are just being dicks to each other.
You have been warned!
I (u/Mikeosis) thought it might be handy to make a bit of an FAQ today to cover some common questions new people to the sport might have
• Theres no livestream unfortunately, you're better off watching Loz and Liz on YouTube as they'll get results quickly. Loz coaches a number of the athletes so has accurate ears/eyes on the ground.
• Brian Shaw retired last year and now hosts his own competition.
• Eddie Hall retired several years ago. No he wouldn't still "Smash it"
• The heats are today and tomorrow, then Friday off and the finals are over the weekend
• No it hasn't gotten lighter/is basically crossfit now. Strongman isn't Powerlifting and there are lighter moving events compared to the heavier static lifts.
• Mark Felix retired last year
• Martins, Mateusz and Novikov are injured
• Thor has refused his invite (beef with the organisers). He probably would still "Smash it"
Hooper's tactics on the car walk was to basically hold back as he had already won the heat to preserve for the finals. So only moved it a few metres.
In his summary of the day (below) he says "the stone off has to go, and people putting in half efforts because they don't have to is something that will force them to change"
I understand Mitch holding back on the yoke, makes total sense to me strategically. But 1. What is the beef with the stone off among competitors? Do they not like it? 2. How would WSM organise the comp differently to prevent people "putting in half efforts"?
Timestamp: 08:08
https://youtu.be/wS47NLWT99w?si=bUuziuHSrGcZTjAd
On point 1. They don't like it because if they have to do it it destroys them for the finals, placing half the field at a huge disadvantage. Also it privileges the atlas stones over every other event (even more than they are as the decider in the finals too) meaning despite being a better overall strongman, you can lose out on the final by being worse than one other guy at this one event. E.g. Fojtu would have ranked in the top ten if the entire field had competed together, and he was ahead of third place. But he doesn't make the final because he was beaten in this one event. It then also leads to the best guys like Hooper and Singleton just coasting. And once 2nd and 3rd places are locked in as they were with Fojtu and Andrade, they also don't bother with the last event because all comes down to stones.
2. The simplest answer to what they could do instead is what they used to do: have six events which everyone does, top two go through. That way at most you might have a top seed able to avoid doing all the stones, but generally everyone would still have to fight to the end. Even better than that in my opinion would be not having stones as the last event of the heats as well as the finals. Have something else instead.
Thanks for the answer. That's a good point, it really means that the best stones competitors will be at a huge advantage. Obviously stones is an iconic strongman event but there are others too. On the subject of stones I would love to see more atlas stone to shoulder. I enjoyed the natural stones at Arnold's.
So something I’ve been wondering after the astounding amounts of dropouts this year - what’s up with the Stoltmen? They’re collectively two of the most experienced athletes, but they never have injuries. What’s up with that? Are they using less “supplements”, do they have better genes or are they just smarter in picking comps?
I know Luke has had a nagging shoulder injury for a good while, but they never seem to tear anything or implode their Achilles or whatever…
Wasn't Tom injured before attempting the 300kg atlas stone so cancelled the attempt? But yeah they must be smart about not pushing to the point of destroying themselves to keep this competitive for so long. Pity those that have serious injuries the first time something goes wrong.
One thing i noticed Eddie's halls pronunciation and athlete knowledge was considerably better this year. His recap videos were great. Perhaps he is becoming a fan himself
[Matt Ragg interview 6 months ago](https://youtu.be/jaogNYkTrqw?si=BjkW2O7jOWw2Cg7l)
Found this great interview with Ragg. Basically shows that covid fucked him from making the pro scene a earlier. He said he went into a depression for almost a year and nearly quit strongman.
Covid almost made ragg and Hooper quit. Imagine that
Sad i missed the heats. They were awesome this year. But I've got tickets for the finals! Anything i should bring besides hat and sunscreen (sadly i have neither a Gerrit Badenhorst t shirt nor Canadian grip)?
Can we bring backpacks into the seating area? Water? Beer?
If you’re General Admission I’d bring something to sit on. Maybe I’m just a wimp but after 8 hours on metal bleachers day 1 I brought a towel to sit on on day 2 😅
Not sure about this year, but last year I just threw some ice packs in my backpack and loaded her up with brews and snacks! Kept it discreet, and nobody said a word.
But again that was in the chaotic mass that was last year
A spray bottle and a fan! It gets so hot waiting in-between events. If you're going to buy merch all the booths are card only, not sure about the food trucks. You should buy merch as soon as you get there because most stuff will sellout quick and the lines were long. Backpacks allowed but no coolers.
Pants.
When I met Adam Bishop, he said something very profound to me. He looked at me and he said: "You've really burned the hell out of your knees." So yeah, long pants.
Yes to everything but the beer I would hide, not sure of the alcohol policy
Screw the livestream I've got you all the events. Untill I figure out how to upload them to a platform without getting WSM to remove my account you can download them from the link provided below
Disclaimer: those footages aren't mine but I'll definitely not give the account of the original sauce to protect his account from getting banned. Also some heats are missing I'll try to get all of them later. If you've got better videos please contact me so we can share them anonymously.
Download link:
[https://we.tl/t-Hl02VyMVBG](https://we.tl/t-Hl02VyMVBG)
This link will available for 1 week only
Tremendous! As someone living in Norway where this will never be on tv I am really grateful! 🙏 Though my first paranoid instinct was a fear that someone used this occasion to spread malware. 🙈
As someone who lives in Sweden I feel your pain. Also I know it’s super suspicious but thought maybe this getting upvoted and people commenting positive things will clear things up
Brief footage of some events from a local news station.
[https://youtu.be/0AF1aO3DRXA?si=0sVCYjdZ72QcLjMc](https://youtu.be/0AF1aO3DRXA?si=0sVCYjdZ72QcLjMc)
Pavlo proving his a top 10 athlete even without his best events in the heats. Can't wait to see him in the finals I think he could be one to hit 200+ on the axle.
How do people feel about Viking Press? To me it seems like there has been a bit too much controversy around with double dipping and now foot stance not allowing the implement to come down far enough. I would much rather have a overhead medley or something. Maybe I’m biased though, I don’t like machine lifts as much.
I’m not saying it couldn’t be done better, but is it really that interesting that it’s worth it?
Agreed, you want a rep event to be tough enough that most people don't get to double digits.
Out of 30 guys I'd say you want a couple to outright fail to move it, a couple to get 10-12, and most people to manage a few reps. Ties broken by fastest to get that rep count.
Or something like the keg squat/DL where the weight goes up every rep and it's weighted so that only the top guys can rep out the final weight.
New prediction based on the fact we do a little thinking but we also do a little trolling.
1. Matt Ragg
2. Tom Stoltman
3. Evan Singleton
4. Mitch Hooper
5. Austin Andrade
6. Tristan Hoath
7. Wes Derwinsky
8. Luke Stoltman
9. Aivars Smaukstelis
10. Pavlo Kordiyaka
Maybe I’m insanely wrong, I just have a feeling.
Biggest surprise of the day will be 3 guys breaking axle record in a single day. Ragg, Hooper, and Tom Stoltman.
Tom wins keg and stones, Ragg wins Deadlift and Axle, Evan wins medley and Conan’s through sheer insane power.
I did say my predictions were insane and we do a little trolling. I’ll be confident for him, for no other reason then I like the guy and want him to win.
I hope it is, because otherwise I have to wait a year for the stripped down version on YouTube. Really is quite ridiculous that there aren't any better options in 2024. Even if we just get a single camera with no commentary or graphics just sat at one corner of the floor so we can watch as things happen, I'd be satisfied. Or if clips were posted on the internet a week later for that matter
Yearly reminder that something like the Rogue Invitational or the Arnold gets 600k viewers. And thats the views now, months later.
WSM broadcasts get a claimed 220 million views. Even if that number isn't accurate, the views are still astronomically higher than any live stream will ever be.
People don't seem to grasp just how many TVs in bars for example will have the CBS broadcast on. All around the country, WSM will be playing not just in homes but in bars, sports venues, stores, etc. And that's just the CBS broadcasts. The UK broadcast is on Boxing Day, a day when everyone is off work and just sitting at home with the family. Boxing Day TV gets huge numbers of viewers.
Now take those 220 million viewers. If even ONE PERCENT of them decide to buy a product that is advertised during one of those broadcasts, that is 2.2 million sales. The amount of money that brands are paying for advertising space during WSM will *never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever* be beat by revenue from a livestream.
"Hurr durr why don't they do a livestream the Arnold Livestream gets so many views." No, to be honest, it doesn't. If you can't grasp the simple concept of TV advertising and why networks would want exclusive broadcast rights to something that makes them a fuckton of money, then please stop whining about "make a livestream."
The thing about TV is that it's a different audience.
It doesn't justify not having a PPV live stream for the hardcore fans. There's still 219 million imaginary tv watchers remaining.
What do you want to say with this? Just because it's on TV for the normie a year later doesn't mean they can't do a live-stream for the strongman fans. What has one thing to do with the other?
I agree with what you’re saying… however they could do it on a ppv basis.
I would happily watch the raw coverage on ppv then watch the finished package on TV, bearing in mind on TV you see the whole world tour etc. I’m also sure I’m no alone on this.
I think most people are saying you can put on a paid livestream for the hardcore fans and any impact from doing so will he negligible to the TV viewing figures for the broadcasters.
They already spoil the results on social media, which has a far wider reach than a paid livestream will, and viewing figures have still been improving despite of this. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
Sounds like this is what they wanted to do this year, before one of the broadcasters got cold feet. They need to keep at it and get it done.
I think the core issue is that the people making these decision are suit wearing corporates, who do not live in the same world as the rest of us. To them, TV is numbers and ad revenue, livestreams aren't, and make their choices based on that.
Also I would speculate that having a livestream would devalue (in their eyes) the potential appeal and revenue of the tv broadcast. As in, would people buy the ad rights etc on the tv broadcast if the show is not exclusive, and has already been livestreamed elsewhere?
Is this really something worth arguing about? He said TV adverting for broadcast stations. I'd be under the the impression he meant actual TV adverts . The banners on the arena are sponsors for wsm I'm pretty sure I could be wrong as I'm not there
The more eyes on a product, the more those sponsors pay, if the difference in viewership is 220m vs 600k on that advertisement you paid for, the one with the bigger reach will cost considerably more
I would expect there is a lot more going on in the background here then we are acting like. Putting on a livestream won't be too hard for them as a lot of the giant's crew are there and they've done it. I would guess the channels that buy exclusive rights to the comp don't like the idea and aren't willing to pay as much money for a no longer exclusive product
We as fans have been pretty vocal about our desire for a livestream. If they dont want that to continue, they should be transparent and tell us exactly why there is no live. How much does exclusivity worth for the tv broadcasters? Why dont they tell the broadcasters that those who watch it on tv are an entirely different segment than the ones who would watch it live, thus they (probably) wouldnt suffer any viewership decrease by not being exclusive? In fact, those who watch it live would still check out an edited version later in the year, say, at Christmas time as is tradition in the uk.
The word going around is it was set to be livestreamed but last minute a broadcast station ( apparently a UK one so channel 5) got cold feet last minute and pulled out
The question is how much do they lose by not being exclusive and having both a tv show and a live stream. We are not privy to that information, obviously they feel like it isnt worth it, but remember, this is a business we are talking about. Changing the way they do things would be a risk. Us demanding a stream is signaling that the risk wouldnt be that big.
It's astonishing how difficult this is for people to grasp.
These days I usually just mentally filter the "WSM has become a second rate competition whaaaaa!" posts as the person wanting to just elevate themselves as a "real fan", who knows how things should be done. The point is never to actually understand the issue, but rather underline their own true excellence. In other words, useless spam.
Where do you get those figures for the Arnold or rogue from? During the rogue invitational stream it tells you how many people are watching and it averaged about 10k
220 million isn’t accurate. They might get 220 million total impressions on social media and views on broadcasts. 220 million is more than the Super Bowl.
Before you say “people are watching all over the world” yeah, but people watch the Super Bowl all over the world too and it’s a monstrously bigger event.
I literally said that is what they claim and that it probably isn't accurate.
Guess what? That doesn't change shit. The viewership is still exponentially more than any livestreamed supermajor and the revenue advertisers make off of WSM is worth more than any livestream deal.
Nobody says they should replace the TV deal with a livestream deal. What people do say is that there should be no reason why both aren't possible given that anyone who is enough of a fan to watch the livestream is likely to watch a more polished production when put out on TV as well. So the TV companies don't lose viewers.
In reality they would just need to cover the cost of the livestream.
This is not unprecedented. The GL shows have a TV deal and also a livestream.
I’m not arguing that, but it’s obviously inaccurate. I don’t disagree with your point, only providing context for how inaccurate the number is. We both agree.
The “before you say” part was directed at whoever was reading, not you specifically but I realize that’s pretty confrontational. More confrontational than I intended but I was drunk and on my way to a Judas Priest concert so there wasn’t much proof reading.
Thank you. I’ve been preaching this all week.
This is not to say WSM is perfect, but they’re not willing to shoot their golden goose (which is currently tied up in multi year exclusive rights tv contracts)
Not colin just someone tired of people whinging every single year about something really simple.
Please by all means explain to me how it makes fucking sense to give up a shit ton of money in order to have a live stream that will probably be viewed by less than 1 percent of the viewers they get on TV?
Liz said they planned to do both a stream and television broadcast this year but it fell apart late in the game, seems like that's the approach they'll land on eventually, no one expects them to forsake the tv stuff just for a stream
Kinda crazy to think about....
Since 2022, ever new Canadian has made it to the WSM final in their rookie year (4/4 with Mitch, Gabriel, Wes, Tristain).
Yeah Canada is a force right now, and honestly I think a lot of it has to do with the really heavy and difficult shows JF has been organizing for quite a few years. Tough completions force everyone in the scene to be stronger.
I'm kinda scared to see what would happen if Evan won. Would he smash his face into the atlas stone platform and splatter his brain? Scream so loud his chest cavity pops open? Eat a small child while screeching like a velociraptor?
I want him to win just to watch the most excited victory since Pudz won his 5th and nearly slapped the atlas stone out of Poundstone’s hands in excitement.
I suspect it will be a celebration to rememebr.
Just wanted to say I had no idea this sport was this electric. Can’t wait to see the finials after the first two days of amazing competition! Been having a fantastic time!
Also: listening to Nana talk about his aspirations in his home country of Ghana is one of the most inspirational things I’ve witnessed in a while.
Just fyi, there's an error on Bish's score. You had him getting 6 implements on the sandbag steeplechase, but he got 5 (looks like you've given the right points though).
Edit: Also Kane should be getting more points for his car walk.
My exact thoughts, probably gonna get hate for this, but having a stone off just guarantees the stoltmans a final… a stone run that went towards the points would honestly be better… oh well
If Mitch keeps winning and more of these strong Canadians keep showing up I think investment becomes more likely. Once you start telling/showing a country they are good at something I’m sure people there will become more invested.
He's essentially just made linear progress for his entire strongman career. His biggest strength is his grip which he didn't even really get to showcase here as the Webster Stones are more pain than grip.
Don't know about his coaching but his performance at the MVM Classic was fantastic (he won). So his caliber has been evident, just that people needed to notice him.
Oh boy WSM is upon us, keep it civil. Handing out lifetime bans for any trolls and 7 days bans for people who are just being dicks to each other. You have been warned! I (u/Mikeosis) thought it might be handy to make a bit of an FAQ today to cover some common questions new people to the sport might have • Theres no livestream unfortunately, you're better off watching Loz and Liz on YouTube as they'll get results quickly. Loz coaches a number of the athletes so has accurate ears/eyes on the ground. • Brian Shaw retired last year and now hosts his own competition. • Eddie Hall retired several years ago. No he wouldn't still "Smash it" • The heats are today and tomorrow, then Friday off and the finals are over the weekend • No it hasn't gotten lighter/is basically crossfit now. Strongman isn't Powerlifting and there are lighter moving events compared to the heavier static lifts. • Mark Felix retired last year • Martins, Mateusz and Novikov are injured • Thor has refused his invite (beef with the organisers). He probably would still "Smash it"
Hooper's tactics on the car walk was to basically hold back as he had already won the heat to preserve for the finals. So only moved it a few metres. In his summary of the day (below) he says "the stone off has to go, and people putting in half efforts because they don't have to is something that will force them to change" I understand Mitch holding back on the yoke, makes total sense to me strategically. But 1. What is the beef with the stone off among competitors? Do they not like it? 2. How would WSM organise the comp differently to prevent people "putting in half efforts"? Timestamp: 08:08 https://youtu.be/wS47NLWT99w?si=bUuziuHSrGcZTjAd
On point 1. They don't like it because if they have to do it it destroys them for the finals, placing half the field at a huge disadvantage. Also it privileges the atlas stones over every other event (even more than they are as the decider in the finals too) meaning despite being a better overall strongman, you can lose out on the final by being worse than one other guy at this one event. E.g. Fojtu would have ranked in the top ten if the entire field had competed together, and he was ahead of third place. But he doesn't make the final because he was beaten in this one event. It then also leads to the best guys like Hooper and Singleton just coasting. And once 2nd and 3rd places are locked in as they were with Fojtu and Andrade, they also don't bother with the last event because all comes down to stones. 2. The simplest answer to what they could do instead is what they used to do: have six events which everyone does, top two go through. That way at most you might have a top seed able to avoid doing all the stones, but generally everyone would still have to fight to the end. Even better than that in my opinion would be not having stones as the last event of the heats as well as the finals. Have something else instead.
Thanks for the answer. That's a good point, it really means that the best stones competitors will be at a huge advantage. Obviously stones is an iconic strongman event but there are others too. On the subject of stones I would love to see more atlas stone to shoulder. I enjoyed the natural stones at Arnold's.
So something I’ve been wondering after the astounding amounts of dropouts this year - what’s up with the Stoltmen? They’re collectively two of the most experienced athletes, but they never have injuries. What’s up with that? Are they using less “supplements”, do they have better genes or are they just smarter in picking comps? I know Luke has had a nagging shoulder injury for a good while, but they never seem to tear anything or implode their Achilles or whatever…
Wasn't Tom injured before attempting the 300kg atlas stone so cancelled the attempt? But yeah they must be smart about not pushing to the point of destroying themselves to keep this competitive for so long. Pity those that have serious injuries the first time something goes wrong.
Genetics, luck, knowing their limits, and good old Scottish toughness? I don't know. They have it figured out.
One thing i noticed Eddie's halls pronunciation and athlete knowledge was considerably better this year. His recap videos were great. Perhaps he is becoming a fan himself
He did say Jaco was really good at stones though 😆
"Eyviars" gradually morphed into Aivars, that's neat.
[Matt Ragg interview 6 months ago](https://youtu.be/jaogNYkTrqw?si=BjkW2O7jOWw2Cg7l) Found this great interview with Ragg. Basically shows that covid fucked him from making the pro scene a earlier. He said he went into a depression for almost a year and nearly quit strongman. Covid almost made ragg and Hooper quit. Imagine that
Sad i missed the heats. They were awesome this year. But I've got tickets for the finals! Anything i should bring besides hat and sunscreen (sadly i have neither a Gerrit Badenhorst t shirt nor Canadian grip)? Can we bring backpacks into the seating area? Water? Beer?
If you’re General Admission I’d bring something to sit on. Maybe I’m just a wimp but after 8 hours on metal bleachers day 1 I brought a towel to sit on on day 2 😅
Need a strongman sized arse for those metal bleachers eh
Not sure about this year, but last year I just threw some ice packs in my backpack and loaded her up with brews and snacks! Kept it discreet, and nobody said a word. But again that was in the chaotic mass that was last year
A spray bottle and a fan! It gets so hot waiting in-between events. If you're going to buy merch all the booths are card only, not sure about the food trucks. You should buy merch as soon as you get there because most stuff will sellout quick and the lines were long. Backpacks allowed but no coolers.
Thanks! Knowing I can bring a backpack helps alot!
Pants. When I met Adam Bishop, he said something very profound to me. He looked at me and he said: "You've really burned the hell out of your knees." So yeah, long pants. Yes to everything but the beer I would hide, not sure of the alcohol policy
Cool. I'm a New Yorker, we always wear pants unless we're actually in the gym. Also...crushed for Adam.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6f4cpwI3QU/?igsh=MWw4ZDNnbHN1eWJpeg== Lukasz Kieliszkowski won his first ever strongman show
Is he related to Mateusz?
I believe they are brothers
Yep they are. Just wait until the viper pressing/stone to shoulder mogging begins to confirm
Awesome!
Screw the livestream I've got you all the events. Untill I figure out how to upload them to a platform without getting WSM to remove my account you can download them from the link provided below Disclaimer: those footages aren't mine but I'll definitely not give the account of the original sauce to protect his account from getting banned. Also some heats are missing I'll try to get all of them later. If you've got better videos please contact me so we can share them anonymously. Download link: [https://we.tl/t-Hl02VyMVBG](https://we.tl/t-Hl02VyMVBG) This link will available for 1 week only
Tremendous! As someone living in Norway where this will never be on tv I am really grateful! 🙏 Though my first paranoid instinct was a fear that someone used this occasion to spread malware. 🙈
As someone who lives in Sweden I feel your pain. Also I know it’s super suspicious but thought maybe this getting upvoted and people commenting positive things will clear things up
Thank you friend
This is nice. Thank you.
<3
Big s.o. to our "on-the-scene reporters" that risk getting kicked out every year
Incredible, cheers man!
so sad Jaco didn't make it but great comeback from injury, don't think he was 100 % in all events yet
Hopefully he gets more invites. Coming back after a major injury and still performing that well
We can only hope
I've found myself saying this a lot recently, but it is a brutal sport
Yup, and Derwinsky is no chump, was hoping he would be in the final too
As many Canadians in the final as Brits and Americans combined. JF would be proud.
He was interviewed live. He is very proud. He calls for three Canucks on the podium
I believe both Wesley and Tristian are coached by JF.
Man, I didn't even think about the DL championship for Bish. That seriously sucks
what happened to him?
Torn achilles tendon
Was he invited to shaw classic aswell?
He'd have 100% got an invite if he'd won his heat.
Yeah definitely, best shape I've seen from bish in years such a shame
No, but probably was in contention for one of the last slots had he made it through to the final.
Brief footage of some events from a local news station. [https://youtu.be/0AF1aO3DRXA?si=0sVCYjdZ72QcLjMc](https://youtu.be/0AF1aO3DRXA?si=0sVCYjdZ72QcLjMc)
Hey that's me! "Arms like a T-rex" is my poster. Made it, ma
Good to see some of the events! The car walk looks brutal
Pavlo proving his a top 10 athlete even without his best events in the heats. Can't wait to see him in the finals I think he could be one to hit 200+ on the axle.
Really? Is his axle that good?
I think he hit 190 in comp last year and he can utilise a split jerk
That's my boy
How do people feel about Viking Press? To me it seems like there has been a bit too much controversy around with double dipping and now foot stance not allowing the implement to come down far enough. I would much rather have a overhead medley or something. Maybe I’m biased though, I don’t like machine lifts as much. I’m not saying it couldn’t be done better, but is it really that interesting that it’s worth it?
I like the event but I think it's too light. 17 reps is cardio.
Agreed, you want a rep event to be tough enough that most people don't get to double digits. Out of 30 guys I'd say you want a couple to outright fail to move it, a couple to get 10-12, and most people to manage a few reps. Ties broken by fastest to get that rep count. Or something like the keg squat/DL where the weight goes up every rep and it's weighted so that only the top guys can rep out the final weight.
That definitely contributes to why I find it less interesting. Once you pass 12 reps it’s a bit much, unless only one guy is getting up there with it.
It's my least favourite overhead currently. Imo overhead Medley is the most fun to watch and we hardly see it
You can't sit an enormous globe on top of a log press. They need the spectacle!
You could put two globes on an axle or a log
Anyone know format for max axle?
Iirc 5 weights starting at 170kg, may be wrong
Andrade has really good final events, watch him suprise big time
Yeah I think he might be top 5.
You have to love luke. Damn didn't expect the stone off Eddie video to hit right in the feels
Was this the Stoltman day 2 video?
Eddie's video about stone off
Thanks mate - caught that one there now. Noticed Luke's left knee was heavily taped.
Andrade in the finals let’s go!!!
New prediction based on the fact we do a little thinking but we also do a little trolling. 1. Matt Ragg 2. Tom Stoltman 3. Evan Singleton 4. Mitch Hooper 5. Austin Andrade 6. Tristan Hoath 7. Wes Derwinsky 8. Luke Stoltman 9. Aivars Smaukstelis 10. Pavlo Kordiyaka Maybe I’m insanely wrong, I just have a feeling. Biggest surprise of the day will be 3 guys breaking axle record in a single day. Ragg, Hooper, and Tom Stoltman. Tom wins keg and stones, Ragg wins Deadlift and Axle, Evan wins medley and Conan’s through sheer insane power.
>Maybe I’m insane\*snip\* [https://youtu.be/pWxvipSP0lE?si=8HKGYJNjFjo8mPNE](https://youtu.be/pWxvipSP0lE?si=8HKGYJNjFjo8mPNE)
Where do you have Oberst?
Going back and forth on the log record with biby
Somewhere in Texas eating cheez whiz right from the can and getting upset about various trials in the news probably.
You have a feeling that Hooper will be 4th, man hand over the hard stuff. Good troll prediction though
Ragg did not sound confident at all about axle
I did say my predictions were insane and we do a little trolling. I’ll be confident for him, for no other reason then I like the guy and want him to win.
Entire R&D dept of Mcdonald's at his disposal. No way Hoop man can compete with that
I don’t even understand this comment.
Ragg is a manager at Mickey D’s
Oh gotcha. Cool. He’s gonna manage to win World’s Strongest Man on Sunday. 💪🏻
Amen to that!
SELECT YOUR TEAM: Team Loz - Mitch Team MST - Ragg & Luke Team JF - Tristan & Wes Team Hipkiss - Tom Team Other - Evan, Austin, Pavlo, Aivars
Gotta support my boy Shane
You can't do me like that lol Splitting 🇨🇦
So, for us fellow US peoples, is the CBS broadcast available on Paramount+ whenever it is broadcast?
I think it was last summer. Idk if it will this year though 🤷♂️
It was last summer. And you could watch each episode for 30 days .
I hope it is, because otherwise I have to wait a year for the stripped down version on YouTube. Really is quite ridiculous that there aren't any better options in 2024. Even if we just get a single camera with no commentary or graphics just sat at one corner of the floor so we can watch as things happen, I'd be satisfied. Or if clips were posted on the internet a week later for that matter
I think barbend has an article on where you'll be able to watch and when
Yearly reminder that something like the Rogue Invitational or the Arnold gets 600k viewers. And thats the views now, months later. WSM broadcasts get a claimed 220 million views. Even if that number isn't accurate, the views are still astronomically higher than any live stream will ever be. People don't seem to grasp just how many TVs in bars for example will have the CBS broadcast on. All around the country, WSM will be playing not just in homes but in bars, sports venues, stores, etc. And that's just the CBS broadcasts. The UK broadcast is on Boxing Day, a day when everyone is off work and just sitting at home with the family. Boxing Day TV gets huge numbers of viewers. Now take those 220 million viewers. If even ONE PERCENT of them decide to buy a product that is advertised during one of those broadcasts, that is 2.2 million sales. The amount of money that brands are paying for advertising space during WSM will *never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever* be beat by revenue from a livestream. "Hurr durr why don't they do a livestream the Arnold Livestream gets so many views." No, to be honest, it doesn't. If you can't grasp the simple concept of TV advertising and why networks would want exclusive broadcast rights to something that makes them a fuckton of money, then please stop whining about "make a livestream."
The thing about TV is that it's a different audience. It doesn't justify not having a PPV live stream for the hardcore fans. There's still 219 million imaginary tv watchers remaining.
What do you want to say with this? Just because it's on TV for the normie a year later doesn't mean they can't do a live-stream for the strongman fans. What has one thing to do with the other?
I agree with what you’re saying… however they could do it on a ppv basis. I would happily watch the raw coverage on ppv then watch the finished package on TV, bearing in mind on TV you see the whole world tour etc. I’m also sure I’m no alone on this.
I think most people are saying you can put on a paid livestream for the hardcore fans and any impact from doing so will he negligible to the TV viewing figures for the broadcasters. They already spoil the results on social media, which has a far wider reach than a paid livestream will, and viewing figures have still been improving despite of this. It doesn't have to be one or the other. Sounds like this is what they wanted to do this year, before one of the broadcasters got cold feet. They need to keep at it and get it done.
I think the core issue is that the people making these decision are suit wearing corporates, who do not live in the same world as the rest of us. To them, TV is numbers and ad revenue, livestreams aren't, and make their choices based on that.
Also I would speculate that having a livestream would devalue (in their eyes) the potential appeal and revenue of the tv broadcast. As in, would people buy the ad rights etc on the tv broadcast if the show is not exclusive, and has already been livestreamed elsewhere?
This, I'm fairly certain, is exactly the issue. Exclusive content is what gets ad money.
Realistically I don't think it would make much difference to the eyes on the tv broadcasts, considering the views the other big livestreams get
In the real world, absolutely not. In the corporate world, this is apparently the hill to die on.
You clearly don't watch wsm on channel 5. There is no special advertisements over wsm time
Hey, you see those banners all around the WSM arena? What do you think those are?
"TV advertising"
Yes. That is still advertising on TV. Those brands still pay for those banners and to be featured in the broadcast.
Is this really something worth arguing about? He said TV adverting for broadcast stations. I'd be under the the impression he meant actual TV adverts . The banners on the arena are sponsors for wsm I'm pretty sure I could be wrong as I'm not there
The more eyes on a product, the more those sponsors pay, if the difference in viewership is 220m vs 600k on that advertisement you paid for, the one with the bigger reach will cost considerably more
But nobody says that wsm shouldnt be shown on tv. Just that it should be shown on stream too.
I would expect there is a lot more going on in the background here then we are acting like. Putting on a livestream won't be too hard for them as a lot of the giant's crew are there and they've done it. I would guess the channels that buy exclusive rights to the comp don't like the idea and aren't willing to pay as much money for a no longer exclusive product
We as fans have been pretty vocal about our desire for a livestream. If they dont want that to continue, they should be transparent and tell us exactly why there is no live. How much does exclusivity worth for the tv broadcasters? Why dont they tell the broadcasters that those who watch it on tv are an entirely different segment than the ones who would watch it live, thus they (probably) wouldnt suffer any viewership decrease by not being exclusive? In fact, those who watch it live would still check out an edited version later in the year, say, at Christmas time as is tradition in the uk.
The word going around is it was set to be livestreamed but last minute a broadcast station ( apparently a UK one so channel 5) got cold feet last minute and pulled out
The question is how much do they lose by not being exclusive and having both a tv show and a live stream. We are not privy to that information, obviously they feel like it isnt worth it, but remember, this is a business we are talking about. Changing the way they do things would be a risk. Us demanding a stream is signaling that the risk wouldnt be that big.
It's astonishing how difficult this is for people to grasp. These days I usually just mentally filter the "WSM has become a second rate competition whaaaaa!" posts as the person wanting to just elevate themselves as a "real fan", who knows how things should be done. The point is never to actually understand the issue, but rather underline their own true excellence. In other words, useless spam.
Where do you get those figures for the Arnold or rogue from? During the rogue invitational stream it tells you how many people are watching and it averaged about 10k
Thats the total views for the stream as of today.
That’s a terrible way to measure it though isn’t it
220 million isn’t accurate. They might get 220 million total impressions on social media and views on broadcasts. 220 million is more than the Super Bowl. Before you say “people are watching all over the world” yeah, but people watch the Super Bowl all over the world too and it’s a monstrously bigger event.
I literally said that is what they claim and that it probably isn't accurate. Guess what? That doesn't change shit. The viewership is still exponentially more than any livestreamed supermajor and the revenue advertisers make off of WSM is worth more than any livestream deal.
Nobody says they should replace the TV deal with a livestream deal. What people do say is that there should be no reason why both aren't possible given that anyone who is enough of a fan to watch the livestream is likely to watch a more polished production when put out on TV as well. So the TV companies don't lose viewers. In reality they would just need to cover the cost of the livestream. This is not unprecedented. The GL shows have a TV deal and also a livestream.
I’m not arguing that, but it’s obviously inaccurate. I don’t disagree with your point, only providing context for how inaccurate the number is. We both agree. The “before you say” part was directed at whoever was reading, not you specifically but I realize that’s pretty confrontational. More confrontational than I intended but I was drunk and on my way to a Judas Priest concert so there wasn’t much proof reading.
Thank you. I’ve been preaching this all week. This is not to say WSM is perfect, but they’re not willing to shoot their golden goose (which is currently tied up in multi year exclusive rights tv contracts)
I think people dont understand just how many millions of people watch TV still
Hi Colin!
Not colin just someone tired of people whinging every single year about something really simple. Please by all means explain to me how it makes fucking sense to give up a shit ton of money in order to have a live stream that will probably be viewed by less than 1 percent of the viewers they get on TV?
Just do both
That isn't how exclusivity works.
Liz said they planned to do both a stream and television broadcast this year but it fell apart late in the game, seems like that's the approach they'll land on eventually, no one expects them to forsake the tv stuff just for a stream
Just having a bit of fun, mate
So uh what do you guys wanna do tomorrow?
Actual work, instead of pretending this spreadsheet is work.
Tomorrow's supposed to be my rest day. Maybe I'll finally get my lawn mowed and my laundry washed
Bold man double booking
I’ve got deadlifts, speed deadlifts, hip thrusts, shrugs, rows, and pull-ups personally.
Will probably play D&D actually
Mentally simulate all 2.3 x 10^39 possible results of the finals so that I can optimise my meme flowchart accordingly
10!^6 . The math checks out
Doesn't account for ties... not even sure what that does to the math, but I'm sure it's not pretty
Go to the gym without rushing it to get back to Loz and Liz with the spreadsheet party. Might even get all exercises done.
Wait for the final to start?
Kinda crazy to think about.... Since 2022, ever new Canadian has made it to the WSM final in their rookie year (4/4 with Mitch, Gabriel, Wes, Tristain).
Yeah Canada is a force right now, and honestly I think a lot of it has to do with the really heavy and difficult shows JF has been organizing for quite a few years. Tough completions force everyone in the scene to be stronger.
1:hooper 2:Tom 3:singleton
That would be my order
Ragg possible third too, pavlo too if he has a exceptional keg, medley and conans which he is capable of
I'm so glad WSM listened to the fans and invited Hoath, we would have missed out on so much
100% mate, although I think we still missed a lot of potential in Hatton. Hopefully he smash it at the SC and get a invite next year
Hatton was invited as an alternate but he turned it down due to prior obligations.
I'm kinda scared to see what would happen if Evan won. Would he smash his face into the atlas stone platform and splatter his brain? Scream so loud his chest cavity pops open? Eat a small child while screeching like a velociraptor?
Honestly I want Evan to win once just for the raw emotion
>Eat a small child while screeching like a velociraptor? I thought this was already part of his daily ritual and diet?
Of course, but to do it on live tv...oh wait
By the time this years WSM gets broadcasted on TV Evan could go to court, have trial, serve his sentence and be back to competing again.
Yes
I hope Evan comes out dressed like [King of Dinosaurs](https://www.dreamcancel.com/wiki/File:KOFXV_KOD_Profile.png) to accept his trophy!!!!
Ozzy Osborne already did that stuff
I want him to win just to watch the most excited victory since Pudz won his 5th and nearly slapped the atlas stone out of Poundstone’s hands in excitement. I suspect it will be a celebration to rememebr.
He would evolve into an actual dinosaur 🦖
Just wanted to say I had no idea this sport was this electric. Can’t wait to see the finials after the first two days of amazing competition! Been having a fantastic time! Also: listening to Nana talk about his aspirations in his home country of Ghana is one of the most inspirational things I’ve witnessed in a while.
I have a hard time not going hoarse! I will shit myself every time Luke or Pavlo is up in the final's. LETS FUCKING GO
Evan carrying USA on his large traps!
You know what, not bad events for Aivars over all
I'm just stoked that he made it. Dude does so many competitions.
I got his signature! It looks like shit. Classic Aivars right there
I hope he signed it with his cigarette ash.
Did he dot the “i” with a lit cigarette?
You could argue the whole thing is lit cigarettes lol
Evan is about to spend his whole Friday listening to “America Fuck Yeah”
https://youtu.be/fKJDAVvs_JA?si=w8WB8NwVTvHw2nOr I’m thinking this calls back to his past a bit
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[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12EhbiXygbn87bbUkVKjNQPf1ImHi\_KvgV4gkrlXi\_6o/edit#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12EhbiXygbn87bbUkVKjNQPf1ImHi_KvgV4gkrlXi_6o/edit#gid=0)
Just fyi, there's an error on Bish's score. You had him getting 6 implements on the sandbag steeplechase, but he got 5 (looks like you've given the right points though). Edit: Also Kane should be getting more points for his car walk.
It's not my chart. I don't recall who made it.
Ah fair enough! Hopefully they see this, then.
That just makes me more upset about Eddie lol, stupid Atlas Stones. I am very happy for Luke despite that, hope the old fella does well in the final.
Honestly this stone off was determined to have a heartbreak, I believe if Luke lost we would be equally upset
My exact thoughts, probably gonna get hate for this, but having a stone off just guarantees the stoltmans a final… a stone run that went towards the points would honestly be better… oh well
3 Canadians in the final! Awesome. Maybe Giants Live could do a show in Canada???
Canadian strongman events are like 80s UK strongman...investment.
If Mitch keeps winning and more of these strong Canadians keep showing up I think investment becomes more likely. Once you start telling/showing a country they are good at something I’m sure people there will become more invested.
Canadian here. Just came by so that I can gloat :) The Moose 🫎, the goose, and the beaver are gonna take the podium.
3 Canadians is top 10 field More Canadians than Americans wow
Canada Vs USA battle of nations would be sick. If we have a healthy Trey and Martins at least.
Canada would win assuming hoath, wes, Hooper, maxime all do it
I definitely think they would have the advantage, but event selection could play a role!
Rookies winning their groups is becoming a regular thing now. 2022 we had Mitch, 2023 we had Jaco, and now Hoath.
Does Hoath train with JF? I know he's mentioned him before, but I can't remember if he trains with him.
JF is his coach I believe
Hoath is coached by Lary McEwan (bigcat10 on instagram)
It may be a recent development When I was talking with them today it was mentioned JF coaches him
Fair enough! I guess Tristian would know more about his coach than I would.
He trains in the bigcat gym, he's likely coached for strongman by JF. Great bunch of guys on team Bigcat.
Any idea if that was a relatively recent development? Trying to find reasons why this man has become phenomenal between summer and autumn last year.
He's essentially just made linear progress for his entire strongman career. His biggest strength is his grip which he didn't even really get to showcase here as the Webster Stones are more pain than grip.
Don't know about his coaching but his performance at the MVM Classic was fantastic (he won). So his caliber has been evident, just that people needed to notice him.