According to this article in the New York Times, as well as a couple of other media sources I found, apparently the season finale on NBC for American Ninja Warrior 3 brought in fairly strong ratings. I think in absolute terms the ratings weren’t so terribly high, but for that time slot (Sunday night during the summer) they were relatively very good. This is fantastic news for American Ninja Warrior fans and competitors, meaning there is an increased likelihood of future competitions and media exposure.

This is total speculation on my part…but I have to believe that it also means that there is an increased likelihood of American Ninja Warrior 4 going down later this year in 2011 in order to send Team America to the very next Sasuke in Japan. Remember ANW has only been happening once a year, while Sasuke happens twice a year, and with Sasuke ratings flagging in Japan they may need an infusion of new interest and NBC licensing money to even run another one.

Click ‘Like’ if you watched the season finale and admire our American competitors who gave it their all in Japan! Let’s spread the word, and please comment here to let me know what most stood out for you from this season.

Tonight the finale of this past American Ninja Warrior competition where the top ten Americans go to Japan to compete in the world’s toughest obstacle course airs on NBC in primetime. Although I didn’t make it that far, a couple good friends did, and it is a surprisingly compelling piece of television to watch them pursue their dreams to be the first American (and only 4th person ever) to complete this insane multi-stage course. These competitors dream and train hard for this, so their achievement of even getting to run in Ninja Warrior Japan (Sasuke) is something to be celebrated, and their attempts to push the boundaries of what they can do on the course is something to be admired and applauded.

Here’s a great article in today’s USA Today that talks more about this competition. Both articles like this one and the premier of American Ninja Warrior on network TV tonight represent a broadening interest in and exposure to this great competition and its amazing competitors. Below are some more articles from media sources about the competition tonight, although some are just glamorized TV listings. The USA Today article is probably the “best” article in terms of coverage and mainstream exposure:

Chicago Tribune
Times Reporter
NBC Philadelphia
LA Times