AFSA president Manfred Hoeberl said today that team events are the real future for strongman contests. "We just did a huge team event between Germany and Austria," said Hoeberl, "six guys on one side. That was a phenomenal thing, and I think that's the one with the biggest future, because this gives you an American-football type audience--they have a team [to cheer for]. And two to me is not a team as yet, two athletes; so we had six athletes in one team, and that was absolutely amazing. There's a lot of team spirit involved."

If you are having trouble picturing how this would work, consider the log lift, for example. "The log is made for four guys at a time," explained Hoeberl. "It's six meters long or something...We started with 400 kilos." Hoeberl used other formats for the team events as well: "We did a mega heavy truck pull, hand over hand. First two guys started; it was a long distance, over thirty meters. When the first two couldn't go anymore, then the next two went in. It was fantastic, the people went bananas. I've never seen people freak out like that." Hoeberl, who has been showing a creative approach to running strongman competitions, said he is motivated to make the sport grow. "I'm trying to find avenues to give the sport more benefits, to draw crowds," Hoeberl said.