MATT AARON KRINSKY

SUMMARY: Millions of everyday people are raising billions of dollars for charity by running in races, yet most of these folks have little to no previous running – or fundraising – experience. Whether it’s a 5K or 10K run, relay race, mud obstacle course, triathlon, stair climb, half or full marathon, these amateur athletes are choosing to abandon their couches, pound the pavement, and conquer some of the toughest hurdles of their lives, all in an effort towards improving the world one mile at a time… And you’re going along on their journey!

    

In Season One of the new docu-series – Training Tales – over the span of five months, six amateur athletes will train for their first-ever race, which will be one of the USA’s most iconic full marathons. During their training to conquer 26.2 miles, they’ll also be fundraising for a charity that has special meaning in their lives. 

 

Aside from having each other, these six sporty do-gooders will be supported by “The Squad” – a group of four experts comprised of a Run Coach, Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, and Fundraising Coach. “The Squad” will be around to make sure that all six novice athletes and philanthropists reach the finish line of both their race and big fundraising goals. There will also be periodic surprise guests, ranging from legendary athletes to health and wellness gurus to celebrity runners.

 

Blending the inspirational quality of Queer Eye with the transformational spirit of The Biggest Loser, the audience will get to know our protagonist runners throughout the season – hearing their stories, learning the “why” behind their charity of choice, and ultimately experiencing the physical, emotional, and mental ups and downs of their training and fundraising adventures. Interspersed across the season, the runners’ charitable organizations will also be featured to provide the audience with opportunities to contribute to their missions.

 

Each season’s second to last episode will follow the runners through the excitement and anticipation of race day, from the insanely early wake-up call to the elated feeling of going to bed with their finisher’s medal. The season finale will check-in with each runner a few weeks post-race to reveal the end results of their fundraising efforts  and see if they’re “one and done” when it comes to endurance events or if they’ve been bitten by the running bug.

​

 

AUDIENCE: Target demographic is 25-44 year-olds who are already involved in or thinking about training for an athletic event; Could expand to include 45-64 age group, aligning with growing trend of older participants registering for road races; Skews 53% female.

 

 

KEY ELEMENTS:

​THE AUDIENCE

• Build early buzz for the show in advance of Season One via a nationwide open casting call for the four experts on “ The Squad”

• Viewers are seeking and consuming inspirational and motivational content to balance a steady stream of negativity and divisiveness in the mass media

• With featured runners being everyday people and non-professional athletes, the cast is highly relatable in the shared experience of, “If they can do it, so can I!”

• A built-in audience will come by way of the non-profit organizations sharing the content with their own distribution lists to generate additional donations

• The show can engage with its audience across multiple platforms and media formats, like short form video content and a podcast

• Known personalities always participate in some of the biggest marathons in the U.S., providing a tremendous opportunity for celebrity involvement

 

EXPANDABILITY & LONGEVITY

• The initial focus on a marathon is a flexible format that could expand to include other distances and athletic activities, such as cycling, triathlons, mud runs, and obstacle courses

• There are ample iconic races across the U.S., many with existing charitable partnerships, allowing for a long running series across multiple seasons

• Each season would feature a different endurance event, a new cast of amateur runners, and exposure for more charitable organizations, with “The Squad” remaining the same

• The show could have global appeal with seasons taking place overseas at some of the most popular races outside the U.S.

• The entire show concept is highly adaptable to an international format

 

FINANCIAL SUCCESS

• The footwear, apparel, gear, hydration, fuel, apps, and tech used for endurance training presents an incredibly lucrative opportunity for paid partnerships and brand alignment that is aimed at a targeted audience

• Unique branding opportunities exist, such as a bottled water company sponsoring the Training Tales “Water Stop” – a portable pop-up hydration station that can travel to races, events, and expos across the country for interactions with fans and on-the-street interviews for supplemental content

• The show can become established as a trusted brand and lead to the creation of its own custom apparel and products

 

LONGTERM OPPORTUNITIES

• A domestic national bus tour to events all over the country

• Establishment of a charitable foundation associated with the show

• Creation of special youth programs to encourage the combination of running and charity in schools

​

 

STATISTICS & SELLING POINTS:​

• 48 Million people in the US went running or jogging in 2023 (Statista)

• 8.5 Million race registrations in the US in 2023 (Running USA)

• $1.1 Billion raised by the Top 30 fundraising athletic events in 2023 (PeerToPeer)

• 2024 tracking to record-breaking growth in endurance events industry (Endurance.biz)

• 53% of participants in US road races identify as female (RunSignup 2023 RaceTrends Report)

• $14.9 Billion sales in the US for athletic footwear market in 2023 (Statista)

• $12.3 Billion sales in the US running gear market in 2023 (IMARC Group)

​
​

TRAINING TALES PITCH DECK:​

• Click to download Pitch Deck as a PDF​​​