Celebrating Sean Woodland, the voice of the Crossfit Games
Good morning and welcome to Morning chalk.
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The CrossFit community received some unfortunate news this week as Sean Woodland, the “Voice of the CrossFit Games,” was not asked again to commentate on the 2024 Games in Fort Worth. We spoke to him about his career (so far) and some of our (and his) favorite moments with Sean.
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Are free trials the “pineapple on pizza” of gym owners? We talked to the owners who love them and those who wish they never existed. Find out more below.
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Tommy Marquez has worked with Sean Woodland for nearly his entire career, and today he reflects on how his friend and mentor revolutionized CrossFit media.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Every single broadcaster that has graced the CrossFit airwaves over the past 12 seasons has been endorsed by Sean Woodland at some point.” – Tommy Marquez on the influence of the popular CrossFit channel
CROSSFIT GAMES
Photo credit: @swoodland53 / Instagram
Changing the Games: Sean Woodland looks back on over a decade of CrossFit broadcasts
On his Instagram account earlier this week, Sean Woodland, the “Voice of the CrossFit Games,” shared that after 12 years, he was told he would no longer be a commentator at the CrossFit Games next August.
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“To say I am disappointed would be a huge understatement. I was far from ready to give up a role that has meant more to me than any other I’ve ever had in my career,” Woodland shared on Instagram.
He further stated that at the time of publication he had not been informed of the reason for the decision or the person who had specifically excluded him from the programme.
He thanked all the fans and athletes who have supported him over the years and made it possible for him to realize his dream of becoming a live commentator on national television.
Woodland then wished Chase Ingraham all the best for his opportunity to commentate on the games this year in his home state of Texas.
Ingraham responded in kind on Instagram, showing the respect the two have for each other:
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“You are and will always remain (I believe again that it has to be that way) be the voice of the CrossFit Games. You have mentored and supported me from the beginning and I am very grateful. Without you I would not be here.”
After graduating from San Francisco State University, Woodland got his “first real television job” in Kalispell, Montana in 1997.
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“Technically, I was the sports director there, but I was the only sports guy at the station,” Woodland told Morning Chalk Up.
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QUICK READ
🚐 📉 CrossFit Games RV Campground Price Update: Staying at the RV campground next to Dickies Arena at the 2024 CrossFit Games in Fort Worth is now significantly less expensive. The CrossFit Games team has reduced RV campground rent from $1,300 to $480. Reserve your spot now.
🎟️📈 Ticket tracker for known and strange games: Mike Halpin, the brains behind Known & Knowable, keeps an eye on resale prices for CrossFit Games 2024 tickets on StubHub, Vivid Seats, and Ticketmaster. If you’re still hoping to snag a few, here are the best deals available.
In case you missed it: Is there a “sophomore slump” at the CrossFit Games? We tracked every athlete who competed in the Games at least twice and crunched the numbers.
EXCLUSIVE FOR MEMBERS
Photo credit: @crossfitravage / Instagram
Are free trials helpful or harmful to your CrossFit business?
A free trial at a CrossFit studio is a bit like pineapple on pizza – a polarizing topic that can lead to heated emotions.
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In other words, If you ask a group of gym owners whether it’s a good idea to attract new customers through a free class or a free week, you can expect the whole mudslinging thing to start.
The conclusion: Free trials have been around with CrossFit affiliates since the early days. Many have moved away from them for various reasons, but others still find them to be a great way to do business.
Those offering free trials – whether it’s a free class, a free week or even a whole month – say it’s an effective way to get people into the gym and convert them into paying members.
Avery Jesmer, owner of CrossFit Ravage in Medford, Oregon, offers a free week and their conversion rate is 93 percent.
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“Not everyone comes through the door or asks questions for the same reason. Some people are looking for belonging or community, others have experience but want coaching and programs, and some want to get healthy. Giving them time to experience everything your partner has to offer will address all of their reasons for coming,” she said in an interview with Morning Chalk Up.
Tino Hildebrandt, owner of CrossFit Virage in Hamburg, is another owner who says the free trial works for his business because converting isn’t the hard part. Getting people to show up is the hard part, he explained, and free trials make that easier.
Hildebrandt offers a free trial lesson, but also sits down with the interested party for 10 to 15 minutes before the lesson to chat.
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Photo credit: Will Duncan (@willduncanphoto / Instagram)
The Voice of the CrossFit Games
Every sport has its legendary voice that acts as a connection between athlete and fan.
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Names like Vin Scully, Pat Summerall and Jack Buck are considered the best commentators of all time because their words enhanced the highs and lows that sport brings.
Sean Woodland is the voice of the CrossFit Games and it is no coincidence that the sport’s tremendous growth, as well as what many consider to be its best years, coincided with Sean’s direct involvement.
When you think of your most memorable moment at the Games, it’s probably Sean’s voice serving it to you on a platter of golden vocal cords.
To celebrate his birthday this year, Lauren Kalil, the third member of our Talking Elite Fitness team, and I remembered some Our favourites.
As a leading voice on the radio, he made our CrossFit Games broadcasts suitable for ESPN and CBS, wrote hundreds, if not thousands, of scripts, and recorded voiceovers for countless videos that motivated and inspired us.
He hosted live studio shows and produced episodes for network television that were broadcast and streamed in almost every country in the world.
But perhaps his greatest achievement is that, through his selflessness over the years, he has built a tree of influence as a role model for all of us who aspire to become media professionals.
Every single person who has appeared as a commentator on CrossFit’s channels over the last 12 seasons has been assisted by Sean Woodland at some point.
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If this were professional football, his coaching pedigree would include every coach in the NFL, no joke.
HIGHLIGHTS
Are you celebrating a PR success, organizing a fundraiser, this, that or something else? Send us a tip.
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❤️Belated happy anniversary (26.6.) to Josh and Hayley Murillo.
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Look at Graciano Rubio, the Wall Street weightlifter who can lift 192 kilos/425 pounds.
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Congratulations to everyone who participated in the CrossFit Service Cup. The results are in. See who won. 🥇
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Congratulations to Matt and his team from CrossFit High Gear in Medina, OH for taking first place in the Masters Team Throwdown.
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😮💨Good job Henrik Haapalainen for walking that 305 kilo/672 pound yoke.
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