MATHER WISWALL
Why are people so positively impacted by the sport of GRID? I’m so glad you asked.
GRID is the perfect intersection of so many things that people value in the experience of life. The list of positive attributes is extensive, but there is one that stands out. There is one aspect that, I believe, will impact society as we know it.
But let’s explore some of the main points first.
1. Team sports are a huge part of our global society. People play them growing up, love them as adults, and a huge percentage of our population deeply care about them until the day they die. All of the factors that make team sports so impactful (competition, strategy, teamwork, regional connection, vicarious association, etc) all exist dominantly in GRID. It is a true team sport in very literal sense.
2. The factors that make CrossFit fun to follow also prominently exist. Watching extremely fit/good looking people do amazing things is entertaining and inspiring. People often latch on to their favorite athlete through relating to their story, or being inspired by them. GRID has that too… but in a more exciting and easy to follow format.
3. Speaking of format… it’s incredibly exciting. I have literally never felt the intensity that comes with the sport of GRID, and hear that over and over from others as well. It was developed by people who know tv media and designed it with the intention of created an incredibly entertaining spectator experience. It’s easy to follow for a casual fan, but deeply complex in strategy if you care to dive in.
4. The world fitness movement is growing. CrossFit, Orange Theory, Yoga… even running and biking participation is at an all time high. GRID allows you to have fun with your fitness…. But not general fitness, the dimension of fitness that YOU are built for. Bigger bodies are built to move barbells, smaller bodies are built to move easily on the rig or through body weight movements, and there are many more situations like this that GRID is perfect for. GRID is another way to bring attention to, glorify, leverage, and contribute to the world fitness movement.
Sounds great right? I haven’t gotten to the biggest factor yet.
Traditionally team sports are gender specific. The dominant sports in the world are all male based. Think about that for a second.
Popular sports in the world today are exclusively male.
No where else in modern society do you see that level of accepted segregation. We have come so far in racism, gender equality, sexual preference equality and every other equality there is… but when you turn a popular sport on TV, it’s all dudes. When you really think about it… it makes no sense.
5. GRID puts men and women on an even playing field and on the same sports team for the first time in history. (meaning full teams, not just 2 or 4 like tennis or CrossFit) That fact alone is pretty cool, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. As I have been exposed to all forms of the GRID, I have seen so many impactful dimensions of this come to life.
Think about this…
If we had a camera going in the houses and locker rooms of the Surge, it would be the most popular reality show ever. Let’s explore.
A team bond is a strong one. When gender specific teams come together, life long relationships often come out of it. Now add the opposite gender into the mix. The team bond is just as strong, but toss in other forms of attraction often absent in all male or all female teams. Yup, things get interesting. In fact, so interesting that GRID teammates have actually gotten married.
On the flip side of that, members of a couple may play on different teams. Questions pop up of what is mentioned at the dinner table, or in bed at night. Do you tell each other everything? Or keep team secrets from one another?
Women and men deal with adversity differently. They are motivated differently. This means coaching a team of both men and women adds a whole new layer of challenge, required leadership and subsequent story lines.
Having men and women working together broadens the diversity in roles on the team. It broadens the personality types working together. American football is so popular because if the 300lb lineman doesn’t do his job, the 180lb receiver can’t do his, and the team fails. The diversity in roles and strategy all working together is what makes it interesting and exciting. In GRID, a 100lb female may tag in a 300lb male, each with equal value, and each relying on one another to do their job effectively. It’s incredibly interesting and fun.
The lessons learned in team sports directly translate to life experience. You must work hard together, focused on the same goal together, to win or lose together. Sports is a metaphor for life… except… traditionally the opposite gender is not involved. Bringing genders together creates a more accurate metaphor for life, since men and women work together in real life, and therefore a more beneficial and impactful experience for players and fans.
A huge part of the draw of following sports, is relating to certain players. Everyone has their favorites. The problem is that on gender specific sports, you alienate half of the audience from relating to any of the players. It’s no accident that the majority of football fans are male. In GRID, now women have players to relate to and follow.
So while the positive feedback loop has kept us going, it’s everything else that will only multiply with scale and make this sport truly something important. I know deep in my soul that if given the proper opportunity, it will be one of the most popular sports in the world in the future. I feel like I have a crystal ball and can see it clear as day. I feel I exist on this earth, with my sister, to help make sure that happens. I know that sounds crazy and many will laugh at that. DGAF. See ya then.
Every recent “Overnight Success” in USA sports (UFC, Ninja Warrior or MLS to name a few) can be traced back to years of hard work for that “overnight” flip of a switch. We aren’t afraid of the hard work and struggles it’s going to take. (there has been plenty already)
We are ready to do what needs to be done, to bring this amazing sport to the world. 😘