2023 Arnold Classic bumps up Men’s Open prize money to a record $300,000
The Arnold Classic has quickly become one of the top competitions in the bodybuilding realm since its establishment in 1989, being rivaled by only one other boybuilding show, Mr. Olympia. The Classic is an event under a larger umbrella housing a variety of sports competitions collectively referred to as the Arnold Sports Festival.
With this year's edition of the Arnold Classic set to take place from March 2 to 4 in Columbus, Ohio, the organization has released a statement that will see a huge prize money bump. On January 12, the management team announced that the Men’s Open prize money has been increased from $200,000 to $300,000 for this year.
Within the last two years, the prize money for the Men's Open at the Arnold Sports Festival has seen a twofold increase. The festival's official Instagram page announced this increase in a recent post and the show officially released a statement where Arnold Schwarzenegger had this to say:
"From the first time we hosted a bodybuilding championship in Columbus in 1976, my goal has been increasing the prize money to reward these fantastic athletes. They are making year-round commitments to improving their physiques and attaining their goals, and as a former competitor who worked bricklaying jobs during the offseason and now as a promoter, I want to match that level of commitment to the sport of bodybuilding. I am excited to announce that the winner of this year’s Arnold Classic will win a record of $300,000."
The prize money in 2021 for a first-place finish was set at $130,000 and was increased to $200,000 in 2022. The same year, owing to greater ticket sales and sponsorship deals, the Classic Physique champion's and Arnold Strongwoman Classic champion's checks were also bumped up to $60,000 and $50,000, respectively.
Arnold, continuing his statement, said:
"The Arnold Sports Festival is on pace to have record sponsorship and ticket sales so the time is right to reward our athletes, fans and sponsors with the best Arnold Classic ever. I can't wait to see who takes home the $300,000 in March."
Arnold Classic: The history
The Arnold Classic stands behind Mr. Olympia as the second-most prestigious bodybuilding show in the world. The show is named after a legendary figure that dominated the game in the 70s and the 80s, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The first show was held in Columbus, Ohio, in 1989 and had only two divisions, the Classic and Ms. International.
Over the years, multiple divisions were introduced to make the show more appealing to a wider audience. This included the introduction of the Fitness International in 1994, the Figure International in 2003, the Bikini International in 2011, the 212 in 2014, the Men's and Women's Physique in 2015, and the Classic Physique in 2018.
However, the Ms. International category was discontinued from 2014 onwards, and the decision has come under criticism by many in the sport.