Esquire Network Announces Second Season Of Hit Series “Team Ninja Warrior”

Esquire Network continues to expand on one if its most popular franchises, “American Ninja Warrior,” with a second season of the hit competition reality series “Team Ninja Warrior.”  This season will feature an expanded 16 episodes which will include the debut of a five-part special event, “Team Ninja Warrior: College Edition” (wt), featuring top college competitors going head-to-head against rival universities.

“Our success last season made it clear that viewers love watching these amazing competitors battle against each other on the course, and as we move into season two, we will continue to raise the bar on the competition as teams are even more driven to conquer not only the course, but each other,” said Matt Hanna, Executive Vice President Development & Production, Esquire Network.  “Now with the introduction of our college edition episodes, we are bringing some of the most famous college rivalries to life as only Esquire Network can as these schools go head-to-head for the ultimate Ninja bragging rights.”

Hosted by comedian Matt Iseman and former NFL player Akbar Gbajabiamila, the upcoming season of “Team Ninja Warrior” will once again feature some of the biggest names from the “American Ninja Warrior” franchise, while “Team Ninja Warrior: College Edition” will consist of teams pulled from some of the most historical and deep-seeded collegiate rivalries.  The dual running course, which will be highlighted by even more challenging obstacles this season, incorporates speed, human agility, skill and a whole new strategy of racing.  Both sets of teams will be comprised of three people – two men and one woman – who will battle it out on this amped-up version of the world’s most intense obstacle course.

The debut episode of “Team Ninja Warrior” set records as the most watched series premiere with A18-49 in Esquire Network history, as fans tuned in to see their favorite top contenders join forces to take on the mother of all obstacle courses as a team.  Throughout the season, the series continued to captivate audiences, peaking at the finale which ranked as the 2nd most-watched original telecast in network history with Total Viewers as team “Party Time” – featuring rock-climbing legend Brian Arnold; Jake Murray, a young protégé of Brian’s who trains extensively with his group; and stay-at-home-mom Jennifer Tavernier who became a break-out star on “American Ninja Warrior” – took home the trophy and title of the first winners of “Team Ninja Warrior.”  Currently the season overall ranks as Esquire Network’s most watched original series in network history with Total Viewers and most-watched debut season with A18-49.

“Team Ninja Warrior” is executive-produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions’ founders Arthur Smith and Kent Weed (Hell’s Kitchen, The Dunk King, Ellen’s Design Challenge), along with Brian Richardson as executive producer. The series is a spin-off of “American Ninja Warrior” which is based on the “Ninja Warrior” format from Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., and is a co-production between Esquire Network and NBC.

TEAM NINJA WARRIOR — Pictured: “Team Ninja Warrior” logo — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)

About Esquire Network

Esquire Network champions the pursuit of a well-played life. The lifestyle and entertainment network features programming that speaks to classic and contemporary passions and interests, from fashion and style to food and drink, travel, family and relationships. Building on Esquire magazine’s 80 years of insight into what makes men tick, Esquire Network is available wherever viewers are watching: in nearly 70 million homes nationwide, online at http://esquiretv.com, On Demand, via mobile with the Esquire TV Now app and other platforms. Esquire Network is a unit of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. To find Esquire Network, visit: http://esquiretv.com/channelfinder. For more corporate information, visit www.nbcuniversal.com.

About A. Smith & Co. Productions

A. Smith & Co. Productions creates some of the most innovative, highly rated, and high-quality programming for the domestic and international television marketplace. The company has produced more than 3,000 hours of award-winning programming – with budgets totaling over one billion dollars across more than 45 broadcast and cable networks. Current productions include “Hell’s Kitchen,” “American Ninja Warrior,” “Spartan Race,” “Ellen’s Design Challenge,” “Unsung,” “Inside the Label,” “Acting Out,” “Full Throttle Saloon,” “Team Ninja Warrior,” “Container Homes,” and “The Dunk King.” Past hits include “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Wizard Wars,” “Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura,” “UFC Countdown,” “Joe Rogan Questions Everything,” “Paradise Hotel,” “I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” “The Swan,” “Trading Spaces,” “Pros vs. Joes,” “Skating with Celebrities,” and many others. For more information, visit www.asmithco.com.