The Bigger The Obstacle Course, The Bigger The Bucks

Getting dirty seems to be the theme of many of the popular obstacle course races, and the dirtier and more extreme, the more attention the race tentatively brings. Even big corporations and broadcasters are taking notice, with sponsorships and other deals flooding the industry. Recently, CNBC's Nightly Business Report covered the new athletic trend. Miles of mud mark the green to be gained by these events, as they've become the fastest growing sport in the United States. According to the report, more complete in obstacle course races than marathons and half marathons combined, with over 3 million participants completing races last year alone; up 60 fold from 50,000 in 2009. “It's gone globally viral,” said Joe DeSena, Spartan Race co-founder and CEO. He attributes the success of the sport to the natural desire of many to climb, jump, and push their bodies out of the sedentary situations that modern life often offers. Combine that with social sharing on the Internet, and there's a phenomenon. Related: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Talks Technology In The NFL Reebok acts as a title sponsor of Spartan Race, even designing a special shoe for such obstacle course races, and NBC Sports CMCSA broadcasts the brand's races. There is even motion behind getting obstacle course racing included as a future Olympic event. “This trend is continuing to grow and so I think it's likely that we're going to see more and more brands enter this space,” said Jonathan Ages, CEO of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers. Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash are amongst some of the other brands currently occupying that space. And other industries, from specialty gear, gyms, and even ropes, are now popping up. Some critics, however, are calling for stricter guidelines in the sport as reports of injuries and deaths from participating rise. Others in the business community speculate a saturation in the sport already, the report concluded. Jason Cunningham had no position with the mentioned entities while writing this article. Visit Jason on Twitter at @JasonCunningham and @Benzinga.