Syndicate Crown 2025: Everything You Need To Know

The Syndicate Crown 2025 stands as one of the final gateways to the CrossFit Games, featuring 40 men and 40 women competing for just two qualifying spots in each division. Taking place from May 30 to June 1 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Tennessee, this high-stakes competition will significantly shape the 2025 CrossFit Games roster.

Unlike other qualifying events this season, athletes secured their spots based directly on their North America East leaderboard performance in the CrossFit Games Open. With 21 men and 21 women already holding their Games invitations, the Syndicate Crown will help finalize the roster, leaving just three spots per division afterward for the Northern California Classic and Last Chance Qualifier.

Syndicate Crown 2025 Dates

The official calendar for Syndicate Crown 2025 marks May 30 through June 1 as the competition dates. Athletes will gather at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Tennessee for this crucial North America East semifinal event. According to the CrossFit Games official schedule, activities begin at 1:00 PM on Friday, May 30, and conclude at 9:00 PM on Sunday, June 1.

For spectators planning to attend, the venue address is 500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915. This coliseum offers an ideal setting for the high-intensity competition that will determine which athletes advance to the 2025 CrossFit Games. As one of the final qualifying events before the 2025 CrossFit Games, the Syndicate Crown represents a critical juncture in the competitive season. The timing of this late May to early June event positions it strategically in the qualification timeline, allowing successful athletes adequate preparation time before the Games later in the summer.

How to watch Syndicate Crown 2025 live

Fans eager to follow the action at Syndicate Crown 2025 will have multiple viewing options, with The Sevan Podcast YouTube channel serving as the exclusive live streaming platform for this year’s competition. This CrossFit semifinal will be broadcast in its entirety across all three competition days. The streaming schedule follows the competition timeline with broadcast beginning at specific times each day:

• Friday, May 30: Starting at 11:18 a.m. ET
• Saturday, May 31: Beginning at 12:06 p.m. ET
• Sunday, June 1: Kicking off at 11:24 a.m. ET

For those who prefer the electrifying atmosphere of live competition, tickets remain available through Ticketmaster. In-person attendees will experience the full intensity of the events at Knoxville Civic Coliseum, where 40 men and 40 women will battle for coveted CrossFit Games qualifying spots.

Syndicate Crown 2025 Workouts

Programmed by renowned CrossFit programmer J.R. Howell, the Syndicate Crown 2025 features six challenging events that pay homage to iconic workouts from previous CrossFit Games and Regionals programming. The competition will test athletes across multiple fitness domains through a carefully designed series of challenges.

EVENT 1 kicks off Friday with “Heavy Isabel” – a grueling test requiring athletes to complete 30 snatches at 225/155 pounds within a 10-minute time cap. This workout appears in all North American In-Person Qualifying Events and the In-Affiliate Semifinals, creating consistency across qualification pathways. EVENT 2 follows with “Regionals’ Revenge,” a punishing 25-minute capped workout combining 100/80 calories on the Echo Bike, 100 toes-to-bar, 100 bar-facing burpees, and 100 front squats at 115/85 pounds.

Saturday brings EVENT 3, “Yoke Repeater,” where competitors complete 8 rounds of a 400m run followed by a 40-foot yoke carry at 425/305 pounds within 18 minutes. This is followed by EVENT 4, “Metal March,” featuring 2-2-2-3 intervals of double-unders, rope climbs, and kettlebell overhead lunges until completing 240 feet of lunges. Sunday concludes with EVENT 5, “Athletes Only,” combining GHD sit-ups, handstand walks over obstacles, and box jump-overs in a descending rep scheme. The final EVENT 6, “Bag Nine,” tests athletes with sandbag cleans, ring muscle-ups, rowing, and bar muscle-ups within a 9-minute cap.

Beyond the elite competition, spectators can participate in “Break a Sweat” sessions at the Platform Stage on both competition days. These registration-required workouts allow fans to experience the competition atmosphere firsthand without participating in the official community events. Community teams and pairs will also compete on Saturday and Sunday, performing modified versions of the elite workouts inside the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.

Syndicate Crown 2025 Roster

The qualification structure for the Syndicate Crown 2025 brings together a field of 40 men and 40 women specifically from the North America East region. Unlike other In-Person Qualifying Events this season, Syndicate Crown employs a unique selection process that grants access only to athletes who have not yet secured their ticket to the CrossFit Games.

The expanded roster—originally planned for just 30 athletes per division—now includes the top 20 performers from the CrossFit Open plus 20 athletes from the In-Affiliate Semifinals. This expansion came in response to the “overwhelming number of individuals competing in the CrossFit Games In-Affiliate Semifinal from the North America East region”.

Despite the impressive field size, the stakes remain incredibly high as merely the top two finishers in each division will advance to the CrossFit Games. Consequently, this creates one of the most competitive qualifying scenarios in the 2025 season.

The men’s roster features several experienced competitors, though notably fewer Games veterans than other qualifying events. Among the 40 men, only five have previous individual Games experience: Spencer Panchik, Luke Parker, Jack Rozema, George Sterner, and veteran Ben Smith—the 2015 CrossFit Games champion. This contrasts sharply with other IPQEs like the Mayhem Classic, which featured 18 out of 20 athletes with Games experience.

On the women’s side, twin sisters Brooke and Sydney Wells headline the roster, both vying for qualification spots. Brooke has competed at the Games nearly every year since 2015, while Sydney qualified in 2023. Moreover, athletes like Erica Folo seek redemption after narrowly missing qualification last season.

The roster also features promising rookies, including three-time teen CrossFit Games champion Ty Jenkins and two-time teen champion RJ Mestre. With invites finalized after the In-Affiliate Semifinals leaderboard confirmation on May 19, this collection of athletes represents some of the most determined competitors still pursuing their Games dreams.

Athletes to Watch at Syndicate Crown 2025

With only two qualification spots available for each division, the Syndicate Crown 2025 presents a uniquely competitive landscape. Several compelling athlete stories make this event particularly intriguing beyond just the competition itself.

The men’s field stands out for its unpredictability, as it features just five athletes with individual Games experience: Spencer Panchik, Luke Parker, Jack Rozema, George Sterner, and veteran Ben Smith. This creates one of the most open competitions of the season, especially compared to the Mayhem Classic where 18 of 20 athletes had previous Games appearances.

Ben Smith, the 2015 CrossFit Games champion, commands particular attention as he attempts a comeback at age 35. Though Smith hasn’t competed as an individual at the Games since 2019, he has continued testing himself at the Semifinals level in 2021, 2022, and 2024. His presence adds championship pedigree to an otherwise inexperienced field. Meanwhile, rising stars Ty Jenkins and RJ Mestre stand out as favorites among newcomers. Both bring impressive credentials as three-time and two-time teen CrossFit Games champions respectively. Their transition to the elite adult division represents one of the event’s most compelling storylines.

On the women’s side, sisters Brooke and Sydney Wells create an intriguing narrative. Brooke has competed at the Games every year since 2015 (except 2023) when Sydney qualified. They’ve never qualified together, creating the possibility for a historic family moment if both secure top-two finishes. Erica Folo enters the competition seeking redemption after last year’s heartbreaking finish. After maintaining a qualifying position throughout most of the 2024 North America East Semifinal, Folo dramatically fell during the final event, receiving multiple no-reps during the dumbbell walking lunges and ultimately finishing 17th overall.

Additionally, Shelby Neal enters as a strong contender, having qualified twice as a teenager and twice as an adult for previous CrossFit Games. Her decision to skip the In-Affiliate Semifinals and focus exclusively on Syndicate Crown demonstrates her strategic approach to qualification.

Final Words

Following the conclusion of Syndicate Crown 2025, the CrossFit Games qualification picture will be nearly complete. This pivotal semifinal represents one of the final opportunities for athletes to secure their place at the season-ending championship, with only three spots per division remaining afterward. These final positions will subsequently be determined at the Northern California Classic (two spots) and Last Chance Qualifier (one spot).