2017 Arnold Classic Shaping Up to Be Bigger and Better

2017 Arnold Sports Festival To Feature Record 20,000 Athletes From 80 Nations In 70 Sports & Events

Columbus Convention Center, Ohio Expo Center To Host Most Events

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Arnold Sports Festival, already the largest multi-sport event in the world, will grow even larger in 2017 when an estimated 20,000 athletes from 80 nations compete in 70 sports & events from March 2-5, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio.

Headlining the festival are professional bodybuilding and strongman competitions with the most well built and strongest athletes in the world. These premier physique and strongman competitions are featured on two structurally reinforced stages at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

The PCS Pole Fitness National Championships, returning for its third year, will be held at Battelle Grand on Friday, March 3, immediately following Arnold Classic 212, Fitness International, Figure International and Arnold Women’s Physique International Finals.

The 29th Arnold Classic will be held at Battelle Grand on Saturday, March 4, along with the Arnold Strongman Classic, Bikini International and Arnold Classic Men’s Physique Finals.

The Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Physique Championships will be held at the Battelle Grand and Arnold Fitness EXPO on Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4 and attract more than 700 athletes from 80 nations. Sports and events at the Ohio Expo Center in 2017 include Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO, archery, baton twirling, boxing, cheerleading & dance, gymnastics, lacrosse, table tennis, taekwondo, and XPC Powerlifting & POWER X. The Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO features competitions in basketball, volleyball, as well as a talent show and teen fitness pageant. Attendees can also try out more than 20 sports with hands-on clinics lead by area sports teams and have fun trying the Spartan obstacle course and several zip lines.  The Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO is Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5.

New events in 2017 include lacrosse, paraplegic powerlifting, yoga, Arnold Pro Strongwoman and the Arnold Transformation Challenge.

The 2017 Arnold Fitness EXPO will be held March 3-5 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, and feature more than 1,000 booths of the latest in sports equipment, apparel and nutrition and stages that host unique, non-stop competitions and entertainment that combine to make the Arnold Fitness EXPO the heart of the Arnold Sports Festival.

Admission to the Arnold Fitness EXPO and most events at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and the Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO and all events at the Ohio Expo Center are included in the Daily EXPO Ticket ($15 each or 3 for $40 in advance, $20 at the door). Children 14 and under are FREE. Parking at the Ohio Expo Center will be $7.   FREE shuttles will run from the Ohio Expo Center to the Greater Columbus Convention Center on Friday, March 3-Sunday, March 5.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer have co-produced the Arnold Sports Festival since 1989, when it debuted as a one-day bodybuilding competition known as the Arnold Classic. The Arnold Sports Festival has grown over the years and is now a four-day festival that features more than 70 sports and events.

“A Daily EXPO ticket affords a huge entertainment value for attendees to experience a great variety of sports and events,” co-promoter Jim Lorimer said. “We are very proud to provide the opportunity for athletes, a majority of them youth, to compete at the largest multi-sport festival in the world.”

Separate tickets are required for the following events:

Arnold Amateur Classic Bodybuilding Prejudging & Finals, Fitness, Figure and Bikini Prejudging Noon Thursday, March 2, Battelle Grand $25.

Meet & Greet with IFBB Pros, 8pm Thursday, March 2, Hilton Columbus Downtown $25.

Amateur Bodybuilding Prejudging, Physique & Figure Masters Prejudging & Finals, 9am Friday, March 3, Battelle Grand $25.

Finals for Arnold Classic 212, Fitness International, Figure International & Arnold Women’s Physique and PCS Pole Fitness National Championships, 7pm Friday, March 3, Battelle Grand $50-75.

Amateur MMA Festival, 7pm Friday, March 3, Express LIVE! $30-$75 (not included in VIP package). Prejudging for Arnold Classic, Bikini International & Arnold Men’s Physique and Arnold Pro Wheelchair Prejudging & Finals, 1pm Saturday, March 4, Battelle Grand $50.

Finals for Arnold Classic, Bikini International, Arnold Men’s Physique and Strongman Classic, 7pm Saturday, March 4, Battelle Grand $50-$100.

Arnold Party With The Pros, 9pm Saturday, March 4, location TBD $25.

Arnold Pro Boxing, 7pm Saturday, March 4, Express LIVE, $30-$75 (not included in VIP package). Arnold Sunday Showcase with Arnold Schwarzenegger, 11am Sunday, March 5, location TBD $25.

VIP Ticket Packages and individual event tickets are available through Ticketmaster at  www.ticketmaster.com/arnold or 800-745-3000.

For more information, including schedules, locations and hours, visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com.