It’s known as the Super Bowl of the fitness industry — and now it’s under new ownership! The popular Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend event has been sold to industry insider Jake Wood as part of a blockbuster deal ahead of its 2020 competition series.
After experiencing one of its most prosperous years in 2019, the Las Vegas-based fitness extravaganza and bodybuilding world championship was approached by the Arizona businessman about a possible acquisition. The deal would ultimately include the purchase of Muscle & Fitness, the fitness category’s flagship publication.
The event is a hotspot for celebrities, and it was recently announced that Shaquille O’Neal will serve as the 2020 Olympia Weekend Ambassador for this year’s expo, which will be held from September 9 to September 13. Last year, Mark Wahlberg joined the showcase event and said in a statement that he left feeling “enough inspiration and energy to fuel an entire year of workouts.”
Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon opened up about the landmark change in ownership, telling Us Weekly, “As we roll out a unique media and event integration, we are strengthened by significant resources brought to the table by our new owner. Jake is a visionary and his track record for success speaks for itself.”
In addition to the Mr. Olympia competition, the inclusion of the Muscle & Fitness, M&F HERS and FLEX brands in this acquisition has created a consolidated social media audience of nearly 17 million fitness-driven followers. Founded by fitness pioneer Joe Weider, Olympia Weekend returns to Vegas in September with a jam-packed schedule of events, including kickboxing, wrestling and Taekwondo.
Visit MrOlympia.com for tickets and exhibitor opportunities — and don’t miss out on the chance to buy VIP ticket packages later this month.
