‘Arnold Classic’ 2016 Buzz: Tickets, Instagram And Twitter Countdowns — About 175,000 Expected To Attend ‘The Arnold’ Bodybuilding Event

The buzz about the IFBB NPC Arnold Professional Bodybuilding, Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships is heating up as the day approaches for the big fitness weekend event. On Ticketmaster, tickets for the Arnold Fitness Weekend are going for $25 each, at least as of this writing, for the Battelle Grand Ballroom events in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, March 3, 2016 — at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Some Instagram posters get more specific with their social media tags and use #thearnold2016 featuring bodybuilders getting ready to either compete in The Arnold or visit the 2016 Arnold Classic Expo. The below Instagram photo shows a user looking forward to the Arnold with four tickets, each of them reading “2016 Arnold Expo” at the Columbus Convention Center. The dates and times of March 4 (from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), March 5 (from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) and March 6 (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) can be seen on the face of the tickets, with a general admission face value of $10 each.

According to the Columbus Conventions website, more than 175,000 people are expected to attend the Arnold, with nearly 20,000 athletes expected to compete in the various sports and athletic events.

The 28th Annual Arnold Sports Festival
Expected attendance: 175,000-200,000 Expected number of athletes: 18,000-20,000 More than 50 sports and events taking place during the weekend. 1,110 expo booths. Please visit our website for further details.
www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/?full_website

A full schedule of the various categories within which competitors plan to compete can be seen via the Arnold Sports Festival website as well.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER

Noon
Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Physique Championships
Amateur Women’s Physique
Masters Bodyfitness (Figure)
Masters Bikini
Fitness Routine Round
Open Bodyfitness (Figure)
Open Bikini
Fitness Physique Round
Masters Bodyfitness (Figure) Awards
Masters Bikini Awards

The Arnold Classic, or “The Arnold” as it is known to folks in the fitness community, isn’t just a local competition that takes place in America. As seen in the above photo, a bodybuilding and fitness competitor spruces up her lips as she waits with other competitors backstage at the Arnold Classic Europe bodybuilding event. That competition took place on Friday, September 25, 2015, in Madrid, Spain. But back to Ohio — the countdown is on to the Arnold Classic, and the Arnold Classic hashtag has swelled to more than 275,000 posts. It’s a great gathering place to see the contest-prep work of those planning to compete in the Arnold Classic for 2016.

Those using “The Arnold” hashtag of #thearnold on Instagram have filled the label with nearly 5,000 posts; some of which show their preparations for The Arnold, while others displayed countdown days until The Arnold.

Another popular hashtag used by those looking forward to the Arnold Classic in 2016 is #arnold2016, which has gained 2,581 posts as of this writing. Many folks are writing that the nearness of the Arnold means the competitors are just that much closer to eating the foods they may have craved while preparing for the competition — like donuts.

As described on the Arnold Sports Festival website, a new Instagram contest featuring the famous statue of the former governor will award a person lunch with the actor and bodybuilder.

#ARNOLDSTATUE INSTAGRAM PHOTO CONTEST

The 1st Annual #ArnoldStatue INSTAGRAM Photo Contest will be held before and during the 2016 Arnold Sports Festival. Win Lunch With Arnold and Award presented by the ASF and Dr. Robert Goldman, Founder of the International Sports Hall of Fame and donator of the Arnold Statue to the City of Columbus.

Post your #ArnoldStatue photo to INSTAGRAM and we will re-post to @TheArnoldStatue INSTAGRAM account. All entries must include the #ArnoldStatue in Columbus, Ohio. Winner determined by “LIKES” and Arnold Judging Panel and announced Sunday, March 6.

It’s an event that sites like Fit Flex say that users can also stream live online, so check there to stream the 2016 Arnold Classic online, as well as sites like Bodybuilding.com.

AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)