"Strongman has not yet had its breakthrough," Super Series founder and president Ulf Bengtsson told IronMind®, as he commented on plans for Super Series to expand in 2009.

Bengtsson said that one of his top priorities is "to make a stronger platform for Super Series in America," and that his group has reached an agreement with another organization that would facilitate this, although the deal has not been formally completed. "We intend to have our 2009 schedule announced by the end of this month," Bengtsson told IronMind®, showing his confidence that the final pieces would soon be put in place.

Beyond simply expanding the strongman series he started, Bengtsson said he sees strongman overall evolving, with a lot of upside potential.

Noting that he wanted "Super Series to move strongman forward in the best way possible," Bengtsson said that the traditional package needs a breakthrough. "TV [alone] will never make it" if strongman is to become more of a sport. "For strongmen to compete as athletes, we need live arenas. We need to treat strongman as a sport and protect those values," said Bengtsson.

Super Series chairman of the board Odd Haugen confirmed that an agreement had been reached in principle with another organization, but that a contract had not been signed yet.

Nonetheless, Super Series will be returning to the Mohegan Sun and to Madison Square Garden in 2009, for a minimum of two competitions in the United States, Haugen said. Two European events are also definitely on the schedule, said Haugen, and Super Series is in conversations that might lead to an expansion into Asia in 2009, as well. If the deal that is on the table right now goes through, this minimum schedule will be expanded, said Haugen, with additional competitions to be held in the United States next year.