American Ninja Warrior is back in all its glory for season 14 and longtime co-commentator Akbar Gbajabiamila couldn’t be more hyped. He’ll be joining Matt Iseman, and sideline reporter Zuri Hall once again as fans return to cheer on the athletes. And there’ll be an influx of new energy on the NBC competition series, which opened up the field by lowering the age requirement to ninjas as young as 15.
“These athletes have trained so hard in the past year knowing things were going to be back to normal,” Gbajabiamila said. “The veterans are back with a year of experience and time to reflect on how they can better compete with what seems like the unstoppable teenagers.”
Early rounds emanate from San Antonio and Los Angeles heading into the national finals in Las Vegas. New faces and veterans battle it out across challenging courses with the hope of making it to the four stages in “Sin City” for a crack at $1 million. That’s some big-time money, no matter how old you are.
Here Gbajabiamila goes into what stands out this season of Ninja.
An audience comes back for the first time in a while. How did it feel to have that kind of energy back?
Akbar Gbajabiamila: There is nothing you can do to manufacture the loss of fans. To have them back with Matt’s and my commentary, we needed the audience to validate what we were seeing. We host, but we are also cheering these athletes on as they are doing their thing. To feel that energy and to have that validation of that normality back [is the best]. The athletes being back in their normal environment, to me, made it for a better season 14. I think what we did and accomplished in seasons 12 and 13 is nothing short of a miracle.
What do you think about the flagship lowering the age to 15?
I remember as a kid hearing the grumblings when the NBA changed its rules to allow the 18-year-olds to play. And we saw a lot. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett; we saw the change and evolution in the game of basketball. This is what Ninja Warrior is adding. What it has done is have these veteran ninjas really up their game. I think of a kid named [American Ninja Warrior Junior] Jackson Erdos. When he gets out on Ninja Warrior, he turns into a different athlete. I think of kids like that who have embraced being the young kid and are excelling.
Elizabeth Morris/NBC
How do you think the last two years have impacted the sport?
I’m not just saying it because it’s a new season, but I really do believe that in my 10 years hosting this show it’s some of the best competition I’ve ever seen. I think when you think about being locked up for two years and the uncertainty, there is frustration and anxiety, especially as we bring more attention to mental health. A lot of people don’t have outlets. I know as a kid growing up in the hood and using sports to cope. I think Ninja has become that for the athletes. They had a lot of time to burn. I know what a lot of these ninjas used at that time. They practiced their ninja skills.
What do you make of American Ninja Warrior’s longevity?
It’s a sport but also a lifestyle. A community. The fact is people see themselves in these athletes over and over again. Some of the stuff going on in the world, one of the things people like to see especially in America is the rebound story. The comebacks. That is what draws people in. I’m one of the hosts, but after watching the All-Star Spectacular I found myself getting into the gym. Like life, you get busy. I watched and thought, I need to get back in the gym. It’s like the feeling after watching Rocky that you can get in the boxing ring and overcome anything. That’s what Ninja Warrior does, and you get a whole season of it.
Not to mention all those specials and offshoots like the Women’s Championship and a reported couples competition.
Shoutout to the executive producers and the whole team who really worked hard to find new ways to tap into our fan base and grow our fan base. Who doesn’t love a good couple competing? The family has grown and with the growth of the family, the show grows. It speaks to different people in different phases of their lives. I personally love to workout with my wife. It’s cool to see the competition element between boyfriend and girlfriend and mom and dad and mother and kid. We got some of these young boys against their parents now. It really is cool.
Anything you want to see from the show that hasn’t been really explored?
I would love to see some of our major sports athletes. Like do a special for NBA, NFL, boxing, bring out all the current athletes and see them in a different element. I recently saw Mike Tyson trying to shoot a basketball. It was the most awkward thing I’ve ever seen. And here is one of the greatest boxers of all time. In your mind, you think an athlete is an athlete and can do anything, but no. I don’t want it to seem like it’s me talking trash about Mike. He can whoop me in a fight anytime, but it’s cool to see who has the universal athleticism. The ninja does that.
NBC
What else comes to mind when you think about the upcoming season?
There is the challenge of getting a new design because these athletes are getting younger. We have this new obstacle called Carnival, which is amazing. The premise is you get the ball in the shoot and win a prize. That prize is a teddy bear, but the surprise/prize is, which handle you get to dismount from this obstacle. It decides how hard or easy the transfer in the course becomes. We take things people can relate to like going to a carnival and turn them into an obstacle. We’ve also had Final Frontier inspired by all we’ve seen with rocket launches. Our show is going to a new frontier. We’ve seen ninjas in a different stratosphere on the course; we’re watching these athletes try to defy gravity. These obstacles are so much harder this year.
Gbajabiamila was announced as a brand ambassador for his alma mater San Diego State University’s new multi-purpose Snapdragon Stadium opening on September 3.
American Ninja Warrior season 14 premiere, June 6, NBC