Superstars
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Superstars is a made-for-television sporting event produced independently both in the United States and Great Britain, where athletes from a number of sports compete in a common set of events to determine who is most physically fit. The shows were the 1970s version of "reality television" programming.
Competitors participate in ten different sporting events, including a 100 yard dash, 800 metres (0.50 mi) run, obstacle course, weightlifting, Bowling, rowing, tennis, bicycle racing, basketball, and swimming. The sports used have varied somewhat over time and between the European and American competitions. Points are awarded for the position in which the competitor places in each event (receiving 10, 7, 4, 2 or 1 point). The competitor with the most points at the end of all ten events is declared the champion.
A number of prominent track and field athletes have excelled in these contests, which managed to attrack the best track stars because of the disparity between the money then available in track compaired to professional sports. In fact, Peter Snell financed his education from his Superstars winnings.
The Superstars was first broadcast by ABC Sports as a two-hour special in 1973. Bob Seagren, an Olympic pole vault gold medalist, was the first winner.
Spin-offs included a women's version of the show (1975-1984), and a Superteams version where teams from other professional sports competed against each other (1975-1983). The show remained popular in the 1970s, but ratings declined and the last edition produced by ABC came in 1984. NBC Sports picked up the program the next year and carried it from 1985 to 1990. ABC took the show back in 1991, and broadcast it through 1994. There was no American version for three years, then ABC revived the show in 1998 and broadcast it through 2002. CBS Sports picked up the show the next year.
In Great Britain, The BBC covered the first 1973 ABC-produced competition and aired their own program, featuring British athletes on New Year's Eve 1973. BBC contined the series through 1985.
In 2002 through 2005, the BBC aired three annual "Sport Relief" versions of the competition as charity fundraisers. Other series include:
- "Canadian Superstars®" - 1977-81 and 2000
- "European Superstars®" - 1975-1979
- "Irish Superstars" - 1978-81
- "Swedish Superstars®" - 1996-1998
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2009 revival
The ABC Network is reviving the series in the summer of 2009 using teams consisting of an athlete and a celebrity. The eight athletes are Jennifer Capriati, Brandi Chastain, Robert Horry, Jeff Kent, Kristi Leskinen, Lisa Leslie, Bode Miller and Terrell Owens. The eight celebrities are David Charvet, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Dan Cortese, Paige Hemmis, Julio Iglesias, Jr., Joanna Krupa, Ali Landry and Estella Warren. The six-episode series premieres on June 23, 2009.
A team will be eliminated on each week's program until one team is ultimately crowned the winner. Competitors' athletic prowess and strategy will be put to the test to excel in events including swimming, biking, running and kayaking, in addition to other head-to-head athletic challenges.[1]
See also
External links
References
- ↑ http://abc.go.com/primetime/thesuperstars/index?pn=about Retrieved 2009-06-18.