After this weekend's American Ninja Warrior Experience was abruptly canceled, Scottsdale rock-climbing gym "AZ on the Rocks" has announced that it will hold an event with some ninja athletes and a "special warrior course."
Trainer Steve Kimpton told ABC15 Monday evening that an event was possibly in the works. We now have the details.
The free event will be held Saturday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. at the gym, located at 16447 N. 91st Street #105 in Scottsdale.
Athletes Adam Rayl, Drew Drechsel, and members of the Wolfpack Ninjas will be there to meet with fans, the news release said. People will also be able to try their hand at a ninja-inspired course.
According to its website, a waiver is required to climb. You can sign a digital waiver here.
REFUNDS AND CANCELLATION
News of the cancellation was confirmed Monday evening in a statement issued by the University of Phoenix's marketing department.
"ATS Sports International LLC, the company responsible for the American Ninja Warrior Experience, is sorry to inform customers that the American Ninja Warrior Experience events in Phoenix have been cancelled," the statement said.
Refunds would be issued wherever tickets were purchased, the statement said.
For 24 hours, the event's webpage and Facebook page were still advertising the event, though registration was closed. Multiple phone calls, emails, and Facebook messages to ATS on Tuesday requesting more information were not returned.
Late Tuesday, the event's website was updated to confirm the event had been canceled in Phoenix and San Diego, where it was scheduled to visit in early March, and with information on how refunds would be issued.
According to the information posted on the event's website, the event was canceled "due to unforeseen circumstances surrounding [ATS Sports International's] production of the American Ninja Warrior Experience."
It also said the event would not be rescheduled.
HOW TO GET A REFUND:
- Spectator tickets purchased through Ticketmaster are "currently in process and should be issued in 7-10 business days."
- If you bought tickets at the venue's box office, you will have to go to the box office to get a refund. Make sure to have the credit card you used to purchase the tickets.
- Participants will receive an email in the "next few days" with refund information.
More than a dozen people affected by the cancellation posted their concerns about lack of communication and inability to get in touch with event organizers on the event's Facebook page.
Others said that they bought tickets as birthday and Christmas gifts and were upset to have those taken away.
"Unbelievable. There aren't enough words to explain to my 6-year-old why he doesn't get to use his Christmas present that he's waited months for," one person wrote.
"Unbelievable. There aren't enough words to explain to my 6 year old why he doesn't get to use his Christmas present that he's waited months for."
Just a few of the 22 one-star reviews/complaints left on the "American Ninja Warrior Experience" Facebook page. pic.twitter.com/MYtF2FFYIb
— Josh Frigerio, ABC15 (@JoshFrigerio) February 6, 2018
A spokesperson for NBC, the network that airs the TV show the event was based on, said the brand was licensed to ATS, but that the network was not involved in the planning or cancellation of the event.
The network is working to try and resolve the situation.
Editor's note: This article was updated to include additional details about why the event was canceled and how people could get their refunds.
