2019 Olympia - What would you do to improve Olympia Week? Seriously

[Humble Narcissist]

The way I see it ... the following need fix'en!

1. The Olympia Expo ...

This year it was pretty damn evident that there were fewer booth space exhibitors and fewer related strength and stamina activities on the convention floor.

Free T-shirt promotions which were a popular give-a-way item in the past was only noticed at one booth ... the name of which I have forgotten ... but it included a large Jon Cina promotional display .

Also in the past you would be given a huge OLYMPIA bag as you entered and could pack it full of various brands of supps and leave that afternoon with a bag weighing 20 - 30+ full of suplemental goodies ... but this year I simply filled one pocket with two cookies and a  four ounce protein bar.

But  I did get a little paper 'shot-glass-cup' full of every strength boost drink known to man ... all of which tasted just the same ... like a little cup of pre-jelled jello.

I did notice tat some of those expo booths had long lines of guys and gals waiting for long minutes to shake th.e hand or have hteir photo taken with a bodybuilding or strong-man celebrity.

I'd recommend more of that with the likes of well known athletes of the golden age standing at line's end with a hearty, "Howdy!" for those lomg-line,line standers.

Mike Christian, Lee Haney, and Mike O'Hearn did a damn fine job this year doing so!

This expo needs much, much more of that!!! Every past Oly winner should be there throughout the day meeting and greeting fans.

So .... I gotta say that next year's Oly Expo needs a lot of work .... mainly in filling up all that empty space on that huge convention floor.

Maybe even a GetBig Booth!

OK, So here is my MAJOR COMPLAINT about the Oly Expo. It's been going on forever and I think it's time for a change!

Read below!

The Olympia expo couldn't handle a getbig booth.  The degree of separation between the average human and the getbig elite would put us in danger of X-Men like treatment from the population of Earth.

[stuntmovie]

This Oly Expo complaint will most likely never be fixed ....simply because it makes too much money for the IFBB/NPC and the Expo promoters ...

BUT....
 
It seems that the BIG BET this year was .... "Who's gonna win?!! Bumstead or Brion!?"

Here in Vegas that CLASSIC event within the Convention Center seemed to be the Big Game ... even bigger than "Who's gonna win the Olympia!?"

But in order to see that Classic contest in the Convention Center  without a pair of US military hi-grade binoculars, you had to be in possession of one of those very expensive VIP tickets which were 'sold out' months before this battle of the biceps began, etc.. (Pls... no smoe'n comments here just yet!)

So without that VIP ticket ... you were forced to STAND in the Peanut Gallery way behind every obstruction known to man including that elevated lights, sound, and TV camera stand!

So without that Golden Ticket .... you'd be fortunate if you found a space that allowed you to see the huge screen that was set up on that slightly elevated stage which would clearly show (but from a distance)  the best of the best among the females and the guys along with the highly anticipted battle between Breon and Bumstead!

And that standing crowd ....  all jockying for that prized space from which you could see that screen .... was numbered in the hundreds ... possibly even 1,402!

So I took one glimpse and realized that every worthwhile space was taken .... and headed back to the relatively less crowded booth space to reminise about the gooder old days with Mike Christian and Lee Haney and eventually even Mike O'Hearn who is a big Haney fan ... Just like everyone else it seems.

So nowadays you gotta pay the big bucks to see the IFBB events that are contested on that convention center stage ... but by the looks of that huge standing crowd .... there ought to be a CHANGE.

And the silent fans .... demand it!

It does appear that there is enough interest to see a repeat battle between Brion and Bumstead and this new kid on the GetBig block by the name of Rafael Bandao (Thanks, Che) that a major profit could be made if such a change was initiated.

But that Classic event profit would have to exceed the profit mde by those VIP ticket sales.

This Rafael conpetitor could rule the Classic world if he could either shrink or grow into the Classic entry requirements. In my humble opinion .. the 'rules' should be changed so that he could compete as a Classic contender.

And in my second humble opinion .... he appears to be the epitome of a Classic contender.

And "YES, I know! Them's fighten words!)(

Do something about that if you can. RON!)

But back to those fans in the Peanut Galley ...  RON, Get to work! Let's see if something can be done so that we can get those fans in the peanut gallery a seat with a decent view at a price that meets every pocketbook.

More Oly recommendations to follow but first I gotta say that SOLOMON (? ... Was it Solomon) did a damn fine job his first time on the pitcher's mound!

[stuntmovie]

HUMBLe, Placing us (Include me out!) in danger of X-Men like treatment from the population of Earth ..... might be just what we (Once again ... Include me out!) need.

Actually, I honestly don't know what ya mean!

But I could tell you a hell of lot about the making of all those Suoerhero flicks!

But then I'd have to SHOOT YA!!!

An old saying some of will never forget.

[Humble Narcissist]

HUMBLe, Placing us (Include me out!) in danger of X-Men like treatment from the population of Earth ..... might be just what we (Once again ... Include me out!) need.

Actually, I honestly don't know what ya mean!

But I could tell you a hell of lot about the making of all those Suoerhero flicks!

But then I'd have to SHOOT YA!!!

An old saying some of will never forget.

The X-Men had to hide so the governments of the world wouldn't lock them up for being so different with elite genetics.  It doesn't matter anyway as most getbiggers don't have time to leave their private islands this time of year and give up running their Fortune 500 companies for that length of time to attend the Olympia.

[stuntmovie]

HUMBLE. OK, Gotcha and completely understood.

Now I don't gotta shoot ya.

In my way of apology abd thanks, I'll PM ya some Superhero info that you may be interested in as you seem to be a Superhero fan.

[stuntmovie]

NEXT UP!

Everybody's bored. …. but shouldn’t be!

According to a lot of BB fans who have attended the Olympia prejudging and finals bodybulding events .... IT's BOREING!!

And I feel likewise unless I'm officially involved or have a friend or a family member competing on that stage ….. or have a larger than life interest regarding the competition and results between two or more noteworthy competitors.

But we shouldn't be feeling that way because ....

THIS IS VEGAS!

This is the home of spectacular on-stage extravaganzas and world reknown talent/starz that pack casino showrooms nightly!!

Las Vegas spectaculars that the OLYMPIA should be imitating .... but ain’t!

And it can easily be done with a bit of creative imagination …. and without bending the rules and regulations of how prejudging and finals should be conducted.

Simple Las Vegas lighting (think of the sewer scene in the Le Miz  stage production) with 3 bright bulbs shining on three different podiums one at a time.

Only one light will shine for each contender for 60 seconds each and then fade to black while another night comes on for contestant 2 for 60 seconds and then fades to black and repeat, repeat, repeat.

There would be no need for any contender to stroll on stage. He would simply take his place in the dark beneath that light and wait until his spot lit up.

And then have the previous Olympia winners descend from the ceiling ala Cirque du Soleil to present the trophies.

Add an elephant or two or one white lion with big star music imitators in the background and a styled up version of WE ARE GONNA ROCK YOU and I’ll bet ya a dollar to a plate of your favorite chicken that it would get he fans up on their feet in an extended  moment of frenzy.

Make it a rock star extravaganza with muscle and beautiful broads and you could double next year’s attendance.

I know the people who can get it done in this fooked up town.

The IFBB has the STARZ, but they just don’t have that extravaganza production expertise!!!

Let ‘em know, RON … but stand enough away so that oncoming fist can’t hit your nose!

You can lead a horse to water … but … yada, yada, yada!

[joswift]

Get Vince McMahon on board....

[TTfit]

Those seats need to be filled. I'm not sure if the pricing is too high but it looks really bad on the sport having so many empty seats for the pinnacle event of the year. It would be better to cut those ticket prices in half the last 2 weeks and fill those seats. At least they're making some money instead of none.

Put womens bikini on Friday and womens physique on Saturday.

And absolutely no need to introduce which celebrities are in the audience.

[tres_taco_combo]

Those seats need to be filled. I'm not sure if the pricing is too high but it looks really bad on the sport having so many empty seats for the pinnacle event of the year. It would be better to cut those ticket prices in half the last 2 weeks and fill those seats. At least they're making some money instead of none.

Put womens bikini on Friday and womens physique on Saturday.

And absolutely no need to introduce which celebrities are in the audience.

1. what are ticket prices? ballpark

[stuntmovie]

TRES, I never did look for the OLYMPIA pre-judging nor the Olympia finals ticket prices but .......

The Jr. Olympia ticket prices were $50 or $100 for each of the two days and they seemed to sell out pretty damn well.

Wednesday was the Jr. Olympia for all the female events .... and Thursday was the Jr. Olympia for each of the male events.

And there were a hell of a lot of contenders in every event. If you watched an entire one day contest .... you would enter at 8 AM and leave around 5 PM.

So there were a lot family and gym members leaving that showroom once each event was completed.

But if you wanted to see the finals/outcome/judges' decision of each event, you would have to stay  until the very end because that was when the winners were announced and the trophies and Pro Cards were awarded.

I don't see any way to fix his long, contest procedure unless the NPC made the decision to limit the number of contestants in some way.

I spoke to one of the contenders who said that he paid $500 (?) to enter  and according to the schedule which included the check-in day up to the final Sunday, he and his girlfriend paid $250 for each of the five nights in the Orleans hotel.

When the Olympia or other big events are not in town you'd pay about $70 or less  for that same hotel room.

Add their travel and meal expenses and you can see that the Jr. Olymoia is an expensive event to be a part of.

And the majority of those Jr. Olympia contenders came from South America and various parts of Europe.

[stuntmovie]

Hey, HOWARD!!! How the hell are ya doing??

With that said, "I gotta respectfully disagree with ya completely!!"

As Wiggs and others have stated earlier (and I think that they will eventually be correct) professional, competitive bodybuilding MAY soon be taken over by these upcoming Classic competitors ... bringing the game back to the days you remember way back ..... when you were in that front row seat making decisive decisions.

AND I think that the condition of this year's Olympia winners is the rusty nail that closed the coffin.

So ... How ya been!?

[illuminati]

The Mr Olympia Title should be for Just The Men’s Bodybuilding classes.

Far to many women’s Classes / Men’s Bikini Class Should Not Be a Mr Olympia title.

far to many amateur Olympia Competions Diluting the Olympia Name & Worth.

Classic Class is a great addition & Feeder to the men’s bodybuilding.

[Tapeworm]

Cancel it completely...

Pretty much. 99% of people in the gym are there to improve the look of their physique, yet hardly any of them would say they are engaging in bodybuilding.

How anyone can miss a boat that big and instead create a niche drug fueled freakshow without any cultural or financial value is a blueprint for how to mismanage and mismarket what should have been a slam dunk trillion dollar industry. The entire world wants to look good, yet bodybuilding is basically a taboo word. That's mismanagement.

[Humble Narcissist]

Pretty much. 99% of people in the gym are there to improve the look of their physique, yet hardly any of them would say they are engaging in bodybuilding.

How anyone can miss a boat that big and instead create a niche drug fueled freakshow without any cultural or financial value is a blueprint for how to mismanage and mismarket what should have been a slam dunk trillion dollar industry. The entire world wants to look good, yet bodybuilding is basically a taboo word. That's mismanagement.

New blood is needed in management and marketing of the product for sure.  The old guard will keep running everything like it's the 1980's.  There is huge money to be made here and I'm surprised a big player like Vince McMahon hasn't jumped back in since Weider died.  He failed the first time because it was so over the top but maybe he learned.  Someone smart could take over an already existing organization like the NABBA and go from there.  If a new org or old org like the NABBA just got a big television contract it would be lights out for the IFBB.

[JAGO]

The production should have had a sponsor pay or paid themselves to have Kai guest pose - pay hum well
( 6 figures ) to com I’m in shape and it would have been the highlight of the Olympia.

J

[stuntmovie]

Hey, RON! Here's my final recommedation  reard'en the fix'en of the boreing parts of the Olympia.

It appears that most Oly fans and Oly anti-fans feel that the Oly prejudging and final events are the boreing parts of Oly Week.

And here's my final recommendaton of a possible fix.

I suggest that the Friday and Saturday night Oly events which are presently held in the Orleans Arena be changed to a new venue.

And that "new venue" should be the new  (forthcoming) Las Vegas Madison Square Garden SPHERE which is presently being constructed in the large, vacant lot behnd _________

A first class bodybuilding event in this facility could prove to be the 9th Wonder of the World regardless of what some GetBiggers may be thinking.

Las Vegas entertainment was built by the showmenship of beautiful female bodies (IFBB female competitors) and men who accomplished what most thought was impossible (IFBB men's competitors) and cheap buffets (think real cheap!)!

And the IFBB has its own feet two-thirds into the door with male and female 'starz' (forget that cheap buffet) who almost work for peanuts.

All that's missing is another P.T. Barnum who can orchestrate this    whole muscle and beauty shebang in a futureistic 'tent' such as this new Las Vegas MSC auditorium where staged events could happen which no one can imagine!

If the IFBB 'don't' do it, someone else is gonna!

[6 Reps]

New blood is needed in management and marketing of the product for sure.  The old guard will keep running everything like it's the 1980's.  There is huge money to be made here and I'm surprised a big player like Vince McMahon hasn't jumped back in since Weider died.  He failed the first time because it was so over the top but maybe he learned.  Someone smart could take over an already existing organization like the NABBA and go from there.  If a new org or old org like the NABBA just got a big television contract it would be lights out for the IFBB.

McMahon learned he either lost money or there wasn’t enough money in bodybuilding for him.  This notion of him getting back into bodybuilding is a pipe dream.

[6 Reps]

Stunt, I vote for you to produce the next Mr. O.

I was not at this Mr. Olympia and actually have never been to one.  I was at the 2017 Arnold Classic in Columbus.  I don’t know how many seats that ballroom held but it was at least several thousand.  There were hardly any empty seats anywhere.  I suppose perhaps the big draw there was seeing Arnold as he was the award presenter.  But, the contest was also staged very well.  Btw Cedric McMillan was the winner.

The Mr. Olympia contest should be a grandiose extravaganza, something to dazzle your eyes and make your jaw drop.  Like modern Broadway musicals.  Of course not only does that take imagination but it also takes money.  

The number one problem with bodybuilding contests, and this is why they’re not on television anymore, is that they are BORING to watch.  And it doesn’t matter what level of contest, be it local or national, or what category it is.  You can only watch so many back lat spreads, or even worse, Men’s Physique or Bikini or Figure (regardless of how stunning the women are).

If bodybuilding were half as exciting to watch as MMA this industry would be worth billions and the Mr.  Olympia Winner would take home millions.  If the Mr. Olympia is the same old “quarter turn to the right,” “side chest” that’s a shame.  

One thing I would like to see in contests is showing the contestant’s scores right after they perform, much like it’s done in figure skating or gymnastics or diving.  The audience then knows how a competitor has done with the judges.

Regarding ticket prices, the nosebleed seats were $115.  That’s a lot.  I don’t know if that was a factor in ticket sales this year compared to previous years.

[The Keto Kid]

They should weigh them all in at the press conference.

[stuntmovie]

REPS, Thanks for the vote of convidence, but I couldn't do it by my lonesome.

But there are tons of peiple here in Vegas and within the movie industry who can make the Olympia prejudging and the finals an extravaganza and still abide by the IFBB judging procedures.

I don'y know if this forthcoming MSG Sphere will be available for showcasing events similar to the Olympia, but if and when it does .... it will definitely be an extravaganza!

Here's one more suggestion for RON which I failed to mention earlier ....

I'm no longer a Super Hero fan but I have family members deeply involved within the making of today's major Sup-hero flicks ... and whenever we get together I usually complain about the actors whom portray various Super Hero charcters simply due to the fact that those actors look nothing like what the original artists intended.

And also ..... I think that we might all agree that the vast majority of the women appearing on stage as IFBB competitors are far more beautiful than 99.9% of the actresses appearing in major Hollywood productions nowadays.

I argue this topic everytime we gather together but so far I've been on the looser's side.

So if I was running this IFBB Olympia event ... I would send special invites (with all the necessary amenities) to the major Hollywood talent agents with the hopes of getting beautiful gals and exceptionally muscled guys (the Beauties and the Beasts!) to be the future super-hero bods as the original artists intended.

Some of you GetBiggers may already be aware that WME (William Morris Endeavor) recently paid $4.5 BILLION and now owns the UFC outright.

What do you think the IFBB/NPC would be worth if they got the boredom out of it!?

[Humble Narcissist]

McMahon learned he either lost money or there wasn’t enough money in bodybuilding for him.  This notion of him getting back into bodybuilding is a pipe dream.

Yes, but he also failed with the XFL and is jumping back into that.  He failed with the WBF when the IFBB had the Weider's and was at the height of it's success.  Now the IFBB, NPC and the new pro thing Manion has going would be no competition for any business person with capital and a brain.  Of course it doesn't have to be him but anyone.

[joswift]

Hey, RON! Here's my final recommedation  reard'en the fix'en of the boreing parts of the Olympia.

It appears that most Oly fans and Oly anti-fans feel that the Oly prejudging and final events are the boreing parts of Oly Week.

And here's my final recommendaton of a possible fix.

I suggest that the Friday and Saturday night Oly events which are presently held in the Orleans Arena be changed to a new venue.

And that "new venue" should be the new  (forthcoming) Las Vegas Madison Square Garden SPHERE which is presently being constructed in the large, vacant lot behnd _________

A first class bodybuilding event in this facility could prove to be the 9th Wonder of the World regardless of what some GetBiggers may be thinking.

Las Vegas entertainment was built by the showmenship of beautiful female bodies (IFBB female competitors) and men who accomplished what most thought was impossible (IFBB men's competitors) and cheap buffets (think real cheap!)!

And the IFBB has its own feet two-thirds into the door with male and female 'starz' (forget that cheap buffet) who almost work for peanuts.

All that's missing is another P.T. Barnum who can orchestrate this    whole muscle and beauty shebang in a futureistic 'tent' such as this new Las Vegas MSC auditorium where staged events could happen which no one can imagine!

If the IFBB 'don't' do it, someone else is gonna!

Just when you thought bodybuilding couldnt get any gayer..............

[stuntmovie]

OPPPS! Here's another remarkably smart idea from the mind of a remarkable LV half-wit! Include me out!

Now-a-daze everyone has a cell-phone.

But the NPC/IFBB ain't take'n advantage of that fact!

Ron, Here's what I recommend that they consider do-en by the tme the next Oly comes along!

Develop an app that will work on any type of cell phone which will allow those fans in attendance the opportunity to cast their vote for the winners, the losers, and the in-betweens ....  and see how consistant those Oly-app-fan users are with the official judging staff.

And then give something of value (comp't Oly tickets for the next year's event?) to one of the many app-using fans whose input is consistant with those of the NPC/IFBB judges.

This would give the Oly fans something to do and help releive some of the so called boredom involved within the event.

And if the Oly-app-fan's voting outcome is different than the official judging outcome .... make arrangents to present an app-fan trophy and an app-fan title to that one individual who proves to be the app-fan overall winner.

So be it. I have spoken, but I ain't smart enough to make that Oly-App but I better call Saul to enquire if he is aslo a patent attorney?.

PS ... I only managed to get through Season 2 in which he represents Wes and just a handful of others on this Board.

Once again, "Include me out!".

[stuntmovie]

Gotta add this before I jump off the Golden Gate ...

I forget the precise reason .... but you can't place a bet on the Oly outcome even though the contest itself is advertised all over town on billboards (I only saw one though) and along the Strip in big bright lights.

But I don't think it would be illegal (I ain't no lawyer) to develop some type of voting/gambling app pertaining to each of the Oly outcomes.

If there is anything illegal about this ... it's possible to work aroind the illegalities to make it legal.

Any casino lawyers on ths Board?

The ones I know are still in jail!

[Rampage]

i think the title of Mr Olympia is a very special privilege which should be given to the only champion who deserves with the very best physique on stage.

Joe weider never gave the title to other people but the only champion of all champions.

Since we have different divisions now, I think we should bring back the overall winner on stage too. Let all winners from 212, classic physique, man's physique and open division to compete for the only title of Mr Olympia

FUCK THAT NOISE