AMI has increased
prize money in
response to the
explosive growth
of the women’s
divisions in the
past decade.
Fast-forward to Olympia
Weekend 2017 this past September.
With more than $1.3 million in prize
money, the million-dollar ceiling has
been shattered. At the Saturday
evening finals on the 16th, Pecker
announced to the packed Orleans
Arena crowd that AMI had taken
100% ownership of Olympia
Weekend. Obviously, I had known
about this for some time, but I have
to admit that hearing him say the
words onstage still had an effect
on me.
As I think back to everything that
has happened since that day in
2004, I realize that the Olympia
is unrecognizable from before
AMI. What began in 1965 as
a single contest for a handful of
bodybuilders has expanded into
a four-day event for the best
bodybuilding, figure, fitness,
physique, and classic physique
athletes in the world. From stage
production with lighting and video
never before seen on a
bodybuilding stage to fan events
like Meet the Olympians and the
Olympia Expo (more than 1,100
booths and 200 vendors), Olympia
Weekend is a one-of-a-kind
experience that people who see
it live will never forget.
Here, in excerpts from the
speech he gave that night, are
some of the highlights of this
94
FLEX | JANUARY 2018
growth spurt under the leadership
of my good friend David J. Pecker,
the man who elevated Olympia
Weekend even higher to make it the
undisputed greatest bodybuilding
and fitness show on earth.
No other
event comes
close to
Olympia
Weekend
for sheer
excitement.
MR. OLYMPIA FINALS
SEPT. 16, 2017;
ORLEANS ARENA, LAS VEGAS
This year marks a major milestone
for me. It has been 15 years since
I began working with Joe and Ben
Weider on what has become the
Super Bowl of bodybuilding.
During this time, we increased
the prize money by 150% to over
$1.3 million, the number of
exhibitors by 125% to 1,150, and
the attendance by 400% to over
60,000 and counting.
Therefore, I am very happy to
tell you that this month American
Media became the sole owner of
Mr. Olympia, purchasing the
remaining 50% ownership from
the Weider family.
I want to personally thank
Eric Weider, Jim Manion, and