Update – All Warrior Dash participants with a canceled race ticket, can race Spartan for free. Continue reading for details.
Anyone else can sign up for a 2019 or 2020 Spartan Race Here.
How to Sign Up For Season Passes
Open Wave Season Pass Sign Up
$799 (additional $100 off, for the first week of Sept.)
Age Group Season Pass Sign Up
$999 (additional $100 off, for the first week of Sept.)
Warrior Dash has canceled all upcoming races and ceased operations as of today. Their parent company, Red Frog, appears to be closing their doors. An email, sent by one of Red Frog’s Event Operations Managers, was sent to staff members which stated the following ” Today we just got word that Red Frog is no longer a company. I wanted to let you guys know sooner than later…this sucks all around.”
According to multiple sources close to ORM, Red Frog has been attempting to sell Warrior Dash since May of this year, but at this point, it has not been revealed if they found a buyer for their assets.
Warrior Dash’s website still lists 10 upcoming races for 2019, along with another 10 for sale for 2020. All of their social media pages were still active as of the time of this article.
**Update – The website still lists those races for sale, but as of 9:30 pm EST you can no longer complete the purchase. Here is a screenshot from Eventsprout, which is another Red Frog owned platform.
No word yet on when or how customers who have purchased tickets to future events will be refunded.
Red Frog launched their first Warrior Dash on July 18, 2009, in Joliet, Illinois. Along with Tough Mudder and Spartan Race, Warrior Dash helped kick off the mud run and obstacle racing boom of the next 5 years. At their peak, Warrior Dash produced 49 events in 2012. The last few years have seen that number slowly descend to 23 per year. However, Warrior Dash has been getting healthy numbers, at 4,000-6,000 attendees per event, as we showed in our recent state of the OCR industry report.
In 2012, Red Frog also created The Firefly Festival in Dover Delaware. This summer festival has been a massive success attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees over the years. The headliners have included such acts as The Killers, Paul McCartney, Eminem, 21 Pilots, Bob Dylan, and more. Red Frog sold its holdings to the Festival to the Coachella festival producers in 2018.
No word on yet on what will be happening with the registration platform Eventsprout or the Food and Beverage division they launched a few years ago.
We will have more on this story as it develops.
7/31/19 4:30 pm Update – Spartan Acquires Some Warrior Dash Assets. Click here for more
7/31/19 7:31 am update
3 of the biggest obstacle races have responded to the recent Warrior Dash news by offering customers free or discounted entry. It is a silver lining that comes along with the sad news. This has been common practice in the OCR industry since the boom/bust days of 2013/14 when races were closing frequently.
Tough Mudder – Free Tough Mudder 5k ($50 upgrade to a TM Classic)
Spartan Race – Free Sprint or Super distance.
Savage Race – Free Blitz distance race.
Here are statements that ORM has received in recent hours.
Tough Mudder
I’m very saddened to hear that Warrior Dash and Red Frog Events have closed up. In their 10 years, Warrior Dash has been a great entry-level event for many people new to OCR, and we wish the best to their staff and partners who are surely going through a challenging time.
While we understand an obstacle has been put in your path, we’re here to support you. We don’t want anything to stand in the way of achieving your goals and therefore we will waive the registration fee for entry into a Spartan Sprint or Super event in the US for all currently registered Warrior Dash racers. Instructions will follow in the coming days.
We know you are members of a passionate community – and we’re here to assure you that we share your values for grit and determination – and will leave no man or woman behind. We look forward to seeing you out on the course.
Aroo and Welcome to Sparta!
Sign up for a 2019 or 2020 Spartan Race Here.
Joe Desena – Founder
Savage Race
We’ve always honored that for people who signed up for an event that went under. If they signed up for a warrior dash that got canceled this year then we can accommodate with a blitz entry.
Send email to [email protected] with proof of purchase for any warrior dash event that was canceled.
Lloyd Parker and Sam Abbitt – Co-Founders.
Rugged Maniac
Warrior Dash Nation, we’re very sorry to hear the news. Rugged Maniac is here to help. If you signed up for a Warrior Dash event that was canceled, we’re here to ensure you still get an epic race experience in 2019 or 2020. Simply email us at [email protected] with your receipt for any canceled Warrior Dash event and we’ll let you sign up for any Rugged Maniac event for free! This offer only exists until August 16th.
Didn’t sign up for Warrior Dash and still want to run Rugged Maniac? You can save 25% with the code WARRIOR on any Rugged Maniac event between now and August 16th! This code expires on August 16th, so act now.
Rob Dickens- CEO Rugged Maniac
7/31/19 10:45 am – 2 more race companies allow free transfers.
BoneFrog
Due to WD closing down. BoneFrog is offering anyone with proof of registration for any of the events that were canceled a FREE Sprint at one of our 2019 events. You must email into us via FB or IG with proof and we will send you a code. You will be able to upgrade as well once registered.
Matt B. Davis
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This is BS! I re arranged my work schedule for this!
Hope we all get our money back!
I am right there with ya! Took the weekend off for this event and we also had a group from my gym sign up to do this. And the kicker is nothing yet from Warrior Dash stating the race is canceled.
Totally agree. I found out from a damn FB post. I get the feeling no fees will be refunded. Really annoyed
Too bad, so sad
I purchased 5 as a Christmas gift back in November; plus purchased in advance to take advantage of the discount. Just put a dispute with my CC company – hopefully I get something back. Overall, this just puts a bad taste in my mouth…never again will I sign up for another race again.
This sucks all around, but look at the other races willing to register you and the 4 other racers! Instead of refusing to sign up for any other race, take the silver lining.
Six companies are willing to let you participate in their race for free. They get literally nothing out of it other than good karma. The entire staff of this company is suddenly unemployed and your biggest concern is a rearranged work schedule. Talk about narcissistic.
Thank you TS. People have lost their jobs. Many more companies have stepped up as an OCR family. If you can’t handle an entire collapse, you really should not EVER register for a race or event. Most don’t issue refunds for rain or other cancellations. Stay home, it’s safer there.
Whoa TS calm down. Just because someone complains about being rightfully upset about this doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking of other factors. If you have a comment to make about the people laid off, just make it and feel good about yourself, don’t attack others.
Really. I agree. Some people.
Super sad news!! Out of the mud races Warrior Dash was by far better then all other I have done!!! So very sorry to hear this news!!!
I was a massive supporter of WD until 2014. That year they oversold the event to the point you couldn’t run in between obstacles. They got rid of timing saying that more people wanted bigger obstacles like the giant water slide. In addition, they were actually hammering together one of the obstacles as people were on it.
I remember writing them saying wtf happened. They gave me a discount for the next year but were adamant they were on the right path.
Sigh. This sucks.
I finally convinced my wife to get in shape and we were using the warrior dash this september as her goal. I was really looking forward to doing this with her. Doubt I’ll get my registration fees back either. Sad. The Indiana race has always had massive crowds.
Don’t let this set you back. Look at it as an opportunity to try a different race. There are so many out there. Good luck on your journey!!
Come try out a Spartan Race! It will still keep you focused on your goals and you will get to experience an event and a community that is awesome!
I just read on FB directly from Spartan they will give a free race to anyone affected by WD!
Come try a Spartan! It won’t cost you a dime with your WD registration. If you are new to this style of race I’d sign up for a Sprint or Stadion.
Wow! I am blown away that red Frog failed to adapt to the changing OCR market to stay strong. They had such an audience for years…how hard would it have been to mix up their races to attract the hardcore athletes while still drawing in the ‘fun-run’ crowd. Wow.
Warrior Dash was a great entry level OCR…but that’s all it was. So either the number of people wanting to do an OCR is declining, WD couldn’t get the repeat customer or it just couldn’t compete with Spartan, TM, RM or Savage. I did 5 WD’s, but it’s been a few years since I’ve done one. For those that are still looking to race in an OCR I highly recommend taking up Spartan, TM or Savage on their offers. Hopefully Rugged Maniac joins in as well. I’ll be at the PA Rugged Maniac on Saturday!
Agree however the fees were for charity and St Jude’s is a good cause so that is why we ran. Folks should take advantage of the other OCR peeps letting Warrior Dashers in on their events.
RM was added to the list
I signed up for may 2020, how do we get refunded?
I want to know this answer too! I bought 4 tickets and want a refund
I would like to know this also. I bought 3 tickets and was really looking forward to it.
Rugged Maniac and Conquer the Gauntlet are also offering free races to those who were registered for Warrior Dash events.
Really sad to see, but after running the Michigan race just last week I’m not surprised.
There were not as many people there as there were in previous years, the race said when you signed up there would be at least 8 obstacles on the race, there were only 5, and they were honestly ones that anyone could do, nothing challenging at all. When they started up in 2009 OCR was not really a big sport but it is now and you have to be able to provide obstacles that people are going to be challenged by. Hopefully those who aren’t going to do the race they signed up for get a full refund. If not, use this opportunity to do the Tough Mudder 5K, Savage Race Blitz or Spartan Sprint- they’re all amazing races!
Did you do the 1 mile course in Michigan?
Must have been. The 5k had as many as expected (12, I think?)
They are correct they are easier than they were 8 years ago, but they started making it easier as they lowered the age to participate and adding more safety to it.
Granted 8 years ago there was only 1 water event, 1 water stop on a 95 degree day. So they came a long way.
I’m going to miss the Dash. It was a good social event.
If this is true, I’m peeved about paying and not getting what I paid for. However, what about the money I raised for St. Jude? People gave me donations in good faith.
The donations go directly to St Jude via St Jude’s website. So you are all good on that front.
Do any of the other races allow 10 year olds to run with parents? That is what I was going to do in September. Plus raise a whole lotta $ for St. Jude.
I am beyond bummed. This one going to be last hoorah before my upcoming surgery and quite possibly my last OCR ever.
This is not surprising. Our group has been doing Warrior Dash for years and continued to do it because it was fun for the group together, but the last few years the obstacles changed (they were not challenging at all), the locations of the races changed (not for the better) and the after party this last year was just lame! They used to have a band and fun contests with prizes, etc. afterward and a lot of people would hand around, this year everyone just left.
I agree with this. My first WD was in 2014 or 2015 and I’ve done three total. The first two were awesome and then they went downhill from there. The one I did last year wasn’t challenging and there was too much course in between the obstacles. There was a huge lump of obstacles at the end and hardly any in between, and those few obstacles were super easy. I’m disappointed because I live in Arkansas and the only other OCR I can do here is Conquer the Gauntlet and I just don’t think I’m in good enough shape to do that in September. 🙁
I was an avid Warrior Dasher (and St Jude fundraiser) from 2011 to 2014. The race in upstate NY started as a packed 2-day event, moved locations, became a 1-day event, and then suddenly they stopped doing it here altogether. Every race I went to always had huge crowds and we just couldn’t understand why they left us. I couldn’t justify driving the long distances to participate once they’d moved and certainly missed them. Sad to hear about this and hoping everything works out for employees and runners in the end.
I am hopeful that we are offered a refund for our registration as I don’t want to sign up for anything else .
Sad that WD shut down…more annoyed at the way in which is was done. No email or anything…just a FB post about closing it’s doors and races cancelled. None of the other races are near me or are of interest to me as I do this for fun not competition with a couple of friends. Badly played Warrior Dash/Red Frog. Those of us who supported you deserved the courtesy of notification rather than finding out through various social media.
My son’s are employed by the company that builds these obstacles for warrior dash..They loved their job a d are now without one..But where one door closes a other will open..
I wonder why the parent company of this event has gone out of business – any ideas?