The 2025 CrossFit Open has ended — and now, the total prize pool comes into focus.
In total, 235,524 athletes registered for this year’s CrossFit Open, based on reporting pulled just after the close of workout 25.3. This equates to a total prize pool of $2,355,240.
- I will explain what that means for the Fittest on Earth, the Affiliate Cup Champion, and all prize winners in a moment.
At an estimated $2,355,240, the 2025 Games season prize purse is the lowest to start a season since 2016’s $2.2 million total, which was sponsored by Reebok.
- A caveat: The 2020 prize purse was to be over $3 million, but due to changes to the season, due in part to the pandemic, the purse ended up being $1.8M for the individual competition that occurred. It broke down as $500,000 for sixth through 20th place and $1.3 million for first through fifth place in the in-person final in Aromas, CA.
Big Takeaways
- Half of the $4,710,480 raised through Open registrations will go to the prize purse and half to CrossFit LLC.
- The prize purse is $2,355,240, which is the lowest since the 2016 season.
- According to Discover Albany, there is no incentive program for CrossFit like there was in Fort Worth.
- The remaining $2,355,240 from Open registration will likely comprise the operating budget for the CrossFit Games, a significantly lower number than in recent years.
When CrossFit announced that it would split Open registration and that 50% would comprise the Games prize purse, I wrote the following:
- “One big thing: CrossFit is betting big on community backing as they will now fund the prize purse for the season based upon 50% of every $20 Open registration fee.”
It was a big bet.
Now, two months later, was it worth the gamble? Did CrossFit LLC have a choice?
What About the Other 50%?
Before we discuss the 50% that makes up the 2025 CrossFit Games season prize pool, let’s touch on the other 50% that goes to CrossFit LLC.
As a private company, that money allocation is entirely up to them, but it’s important to note the recent past and possible future for CrossFit.
Last week, Don Faul, CEO of CrossFit LLC, confirmed the rumors that CrossFit LLC is up for sale from Berkshire Partners.
While possible, it’s unlikely that changes to Games funding will occur while a sale is open and ongoing. However, a potential new owner could buy the company and sweeten the pot if they chose to either add to the prize pool or enhance the Games and coverage. Of course, that would depend on the sale being finalized in the next five months.
In previous seasons, CrossFit LLC is estimated to have earned the following from Open registration:
Note: This calculation is based on total registration numbers multiplied by the $20 USD Open registration fee.
This is just for the Open. In the last four seasons, CrossFit also had the Quarterfinals, which was an invitation-only second stage of competition for the top 10% of Open finishers from 2021 through 2023 and the top 25% in 2024.
In those four seasons, CrossFit brought in a total of $5.67 million, which broke out to:
Note: This calculation is based on total registration numbers multiplied by the corresponding Quarterfinal registration fees for each division.
The total amount earned via registration this year is $4,710,480, down from $6,869,920 for Open registration and $2,228,250 for Quarterfinals registration in calendar year 2024.
That was over $9 million in pre-Semifinals registration fees. In 2025, that total is down to $4.71 million.
And 50% of that goes to the prize purse.
Unlike previous seasons, from the early 2010s through last year, this season does not have a presenting sponsor or a prize purse sponsor.
- This year, the prize sponsor is you, the Open community.
Prize sponsorship could change between now and August when the CrossFit Games take place in Albany, NY.
Speaking of the host city: In 2024, the city of Fort Worth and the state of Texas, through the state’s Event Trust Fund Program, signed an agreement with Visit Fort Worth and CrossFit LLC to pay $773,731.00 to host the Games in Fort Worth, TX.
- The city of Fort Worth would pay $106,722.00, and the state of Texas would fund $667,009.00.
The agreement, which Morning Chalk Up received through FOIA request, between the city of Fort Worth, Visit Fort Worth, and CrossFit states that the funds will go toward expenses incurred from holding the final event in the host city, including:
“Advertising and marketing promotions, Awards for the Event, Rental cost, Emergency medical technician/ Medic services, and Expenses related to health screening and safety protocols for the event.”
As of this article’s publication, the most recent Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office Event Trust Awarding report shows $0.00 paid to CrossFit and Visit Fort Worth (excel report dated 2/28/25):
For 2025, Discover Albany, the tourism organization that helped bring the Games to Albany, confirmed that it is not aware of incentives for hosting the Games in upstate New York.
Jay Cloutier, Discover Albany’s Sports Commissioner, told the Morning Chalk Up, “Discover Albany is not aware of any incentives being offered to CrossFit for hosting [the 2025 CrossFit Games] in our Destination.”
- He continued: “The Community at large, through the LOC (local organizing committee), is working hard to rally existing service resources to focus on ensuring a safe, successful Games and facilitating the local community’s enjoyment of the games without interruption to the normal ongoing activities within our vibrant community.”
While there was no presenting sponsor like Reebok or NOBULL in 2024, CrossFit announced that apparel sponsors GORUCK and Northern Spirit would fund the prize purse.
If the Games is without funding from the host city, a prize purse sponsor, and is now using 50% Open registration funding for the prize purse, where would the money come from to host the Finals of the CrossFit Games season?
This is the gamble.
With 50% of Open registration going to CrossFit LLC, this pot of money will likely fund the CrossFit Games, along with contributions from the eleven sponsors currently listed as event partners, including Rogue Fitness and the United States Border Patrol.
CrossFit has, however, moved some funding allocations off their books for 2025 and added an additional opportunity in the Community Cup for all the community to fund the Games.
The other qualifying portions of competition for the Individual and Team divisions move online or are being hosted by In-Person Event organizers. Dave Castro stated on his Week in Review (3/17/25) that the Community Cup registration will not go toward prizes but will fund the Games and “everything else we do.”
- “For the Community Cup,” Castro said, “that money isn’t going to prizes like [the Open]. That’s just helping facilitate and put on all the other things and the Games essentially and everything else we do.”
Is $2.35M enough base to put on “the ultimate proving grounds for the Fittest on Earth”?
The 50% Prize Pool
The other gamble by CrossFit was putting out hypothetical numbers.
There was no requirement to do this, and it may have athletes questioning why they were told a prize amount that wouldn’t come to be.
- We even saw Dave Castro’s Instagram post calculating what the prize purse would be and stating 250,000 registrants is “more realistic, hope it’s higher than that.”
It did not hit. This was the big bet that went to the under.
In Appendix F: Prize Money Distribution, HQ calculated the division prize purses for the 2025 season by using 300,000 hypothetical participants as an example.
With 64,476 fewer registrants, it appears the rulebook will need to be updated, and amounts that were stated in January will have to be edited down to align with reality in March.
Based on Open registration, here is the prize purse breakdown:
Note: Before we get too far into it, all calculations are based on Appendix F in the 2025 CrossFit Games Rulebook. The CrossFit Games team will finalize and officially announce them.
Individual – CrossFit Games Prizes
The CrossFit Games Individual competition will have a total prize purse of $1,154,067.60 to crown the Fittest on Earth. The men’s and women’s divisions will have matching total prizes of $577,033.80, with $288,516.90 going to the Fittest on Earth and $57,703.38 and $46,162.70 going to second and third place.
First place through 20th place for the Individuals will look like this:
| Placement | 2025 | 2024 | YoY Difference |
| 1st | $288,516.90 | $315,000 | -$26,483.10 |
| 2nd | $57,703.38 | $125,000 | -$67,296.62 |
| 3rd | $46,162.70 | $85,000 | -$38,837.30 |
| 4th | $40,392.37 | $60,000 | -$19,607.63 |
| 5th | $20,196.18 | $45,000 | -$24,803.82 |
| 6th | $15,579.91 | $40,000 | -$24,420.09 |
| 7th | $14,425.85 | $35,000 | -$20,574.15 |
| 8th | $12,694.74 | $32,000 | -$19,305.26 |
| 9th | $12,117.71 | $29,000 | -$16,882.29 |
| 10th | $11,540.68 | $26,000 | -$14,459.32 |
| 11th | $9,809.57 | $20,000 | -$10,190.43 |
| 12th | $8,655.51 | $18,000 | -$9,344.49 |
| 13th | $6,924.41 | $15,000 | -$8,075.59 |
| 14th | $6,347.37 | $14,000 | -$7,652.63 |
| 15th | $5,770.34 | $13,000 | -$7,229.66 |
| 16th | $5,193.30 | $12,000 | -$6,806.70 |
| 17th | $4,616.27 | $11,000 | -$6,383.73 |
| 18th | $4,039.24 | $10,000 | -$5,960.76 |
| 19th | $3,462.20 | $9,000 | -$5,537.80 |
| 20th | $2,885.17 | $8,000 | -$5,114.83 |
| 21st | $0.00 | $7,000 | -$7,000.00 |
| 22nd | $0.00 | $6,750 | -$6,750.00 |
| 23rd | $0.00 | $6,500 | -$6,500.00 |
| 24th | $0.00 | $6,250 | -$6,250.00 |
| 25th | $0.00 | $6,000 | -$6,000.00 |
| 26th | $0.00 | $5,750 | -$5,750.00 |
| 27th | $0.00 | $5,500 | -$5,500.00 |
| 28th | $0.00 | $5,250 | -$5,250.00 |
| 29th | $0.00 | $5,000 | -$5,000.00 |
| 30th | $0.00 | $4,750 | -$4,750.00 |
Team – CrossFit Games Prizes
For the Affiliate Cup Championship (Teams Division), the winning affiliate will receive $70,657.20,, and second and third place will receive $47,104.80 and $35,328.60, respectively.
First place through 20th place for the teams will look like this:
| Placement | 2025 | 2024 | YoY Difference |
| 1st | $70,657.20 | $100,000 | -$29,342.80 |
| 2nd | $47,104.80 | $75,000 | -$27,895.20 |
| 3rd | $35,328.60 | $45,000 | -$9,671.40 |
| 4th | $16,486.68 | $30,000 | -$13,513.32 |
| 5th | $8,243.34 | $25,000 | -$16,756.66 |
| 6th | $6,359.15 | $15,000 | -$8,640.85 |
| 7th | $5,888.10 | $12,000 | -$6,111.90 |
| 8th | $5,181.53 | $9,000 | -$3,818.47 |
| 9th | $4,946.00 | $6,000 | -$1,054.00 |
| 10th | $4,710.48 | $3,000 | $1,710.48 |
| 11th | $4,003.91 | $0 | $4,003.91 |
| 12th | $3,532.86 | $0 | $3,532.86 |
| 13th | $2,826.29 | $0 | $2,826.29 |
| 14th | $2,590.76 | $0 | $2,590.76 |
| 15th | $2,355.24 | $0 | $2,355.24 |
| 16th | $2,119.72 | $0 | $2,119.72 |
| 17th | $1,884.19 | $0 | $1,884.19 |
| 18th | $1,648.67 | $0 | $1,648.67 |
| 19th | $1,413.14 | $0 | $1,413.14 |
| 20th | $1,177.62 | $0 | $1,177.62 |
Affiliates Prize Purse (New for 2025)
New this year, Crossfit is also awarding prizes for the top affiliates in the form of Rogue Fitness gift cards, each of which is $2,500.
Participation is based on total registrations through 25.3 in each competition region, and performance is based on the top-performing affiliate teams in each competition region. An affiliate cannot win both participation and performance prizes.
The total allocation looks to be:
- The top 94 participating affiliates each get a $2,500 Rogue Fitness gift card.
- The top 94 performance affiliates each get a $2,500 Rogue Fitness gift card.
The total allocation is spread over the seven competitive regions with around 13-14 winners in each region: North America East, North America West, Europe, South America, Oceania, Asia, and Africa.
Open Prize Purse
Overall Finishers – $58,881.00
- 1st Place – $14,720.25
- 2nd Place – $8,832.15
- 3rd Place – $5,888.10
Individual Weekly Performances – $58,881.00
- 1st Place – $4,906.75
- 2nd Place – $2,944.05
- 3rd Place – $2,747.78
In-Affiliate (Online) Semifinal
- 1st Place – $8,832.15
- 2nd Place – $4,239.43
- 3rd Place – $3,886.15
- 4th Place – $3,532.86
- 5th Place – $3,179.57
- 6th Place – $2,826.29
- 7th Place – $2,473.00
- 8th Place – $2,119.72
- 9th Place – $1,766.43
- 10th Place – $1,413.14
- 11th Place – $1,059.86
Masters and Adaptive Prize Purse
At this time, CrossFit, Legends, and WheelWOD have not released the breakdown of prize money allocation for first through third in each of their divisions.
Their total allocation based on registration at the time of the 25.3 submission deadline is:
- Masters – $235,524.00
- Adaptive – $70,657.20
Prize pool allocation calculation provided by Fran Lung Analytics.
Open Report – Weekly Update 8
The data below is up to date through the submission deadline of Week 3 on March 17 at 8:10 p.m. ET.
Based on Age Group Divisions
Based on Competitive Region
Past 4 Years – Worm Chart
- The chart above, which is a year-over-year comparison chart counting down to the submission date for XX.1, now has 2023 data as well as 2022. Note: 2022 only includes the ‘Open’ division, not the 14-15 or 55+ age group divisions or Adaptive divisions.
We will have one more Open Report next week, which will focus on five reasons why the community didn’t register for the 2025 Open.
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Featured image: @ironandcastle / Instagram
