Who, What, and When
At the end of 2025 the emergence of the Pro Climbing League was announced through social media. A head-to-head Boulder format for elite climbers, run by and initiated by two of the community’s most prominent figures: Charlie Buscoe and Danaan Markey. By climbers, for the climbers. This league is set to take place at various gyms around the globe, with the first event taking place in London on the 28th of February. Inspired by, and possibly trying to emulate, the professional leagues that many other high ranking sports have.
The competition is set to be broadcast by Red Bull TV and the current confirmed athlete lineup is sure to turn heads. From Olympic climbing royalty to breakout young talent, the names are far from unfamiliar. As of early January the following climbers have been confirmed: Toby Roberts, Janja Garnbret, Yannik Flohe, Mejdi Schalck, Annie Sanders, and Tamoa Narasaki. Tickets for the first event are also completely sold out, indicating that perhaps this event is filling a gap in the market that I’m personally struggling to see.
The Competition Format
Each competition will consist of three head-to-head bouldering rounds with a total of 16 athletes (8 men and 8 women) participating in pairs. The time limit per boulder is 4 minutes, with athletes being allowed to complete their final attempt if they have left the ground before the timer sounds.
Round One: There will be three boulders and the athlete that tops the most boulders wins their head-to-head battle and progresses onto the next round. If both climbers top, then the climber who topped first will win. In the event of no tops, the climber with the highest high point wins. Failing all of the above, quickest to the high point will be used as a final differentiator.
Round Two: The same rules apply as the first round but with only one boulder. Ramping up the pressure before the finals!
Round Three: The finals. Here the top two remaining athletes will go head-to-head on a final two boulder problems. Rules from the previous round remain in place. At the end of the night there will be one male and one female winner.
What makes this New?
While the Pro Climbing League promises to offer something that is more authentic than just a display of climbing – the question is whether the event will succeed in doing so. Over the years climbing has seen a number of unique climbing formats that break up the World Cup Circuit calendar and add in some fun. One that immediately comes to mind is the annual RockMasters that takes place in Arco, Italy. RockMasters is all about speed in a dual head-to-head lead format. The head-to-head competition is certainly nothing new, so what exactly will set the Pro Climbing league apart from all other independent competitions?
The element that is supposed to set them apart is that this competition’s focus is on adding the pressure and rivalry back to competition. As Shauna Coxsey mentioned, the boulders will be difficult, so it’s more than just a race to the top – precision and poise will be of the utmost importance for each attempt. This is sure to create an intense and suspenseful atmosphere – well, at least we hope!
The Pros, Fears, and Cons, of a Professional Climbing League
The obvious pros for establishing a professional league would be that it has the potential to bring more global attention to climbing, generate more revenue for professional climbers, and set a clear career path and trajectory that young athletes could aspire to reach. Something that we have seen in the success of other professional sports leagues.
On the other hand, there is a definite push and pull that could be created through the establishment and success of the Pro Climbing League. Climbing for a long time has pushed back against a commercialised and indoor centric model – with many advocating for the value of a more pure and recreational take on climbing. As indoor climbing and sport climbing has become more popular, many end up falling on either side, especially as indoor climbing has long been criticised for not being ‘real climbing’.
However, this debate may have slowed down with climbing being added to the Olympics. It may not even be relevant at all. In becoming an Olympic sport, climbing finally received a tick of recognition, and with this the fight for funding and access has improved throughout – benefiting the sport as a whole. I guess what I am trying to get at here is: would a Professional Climbing League push climbing too far into the commercialised space.
Being a previous (non professional) competitive climber, I never thought I would sit on this side of the fence. Yet, it is something to consider. I love climbing and would love more people to climb. I would also love athletes to be able to make a living out of climbing professionally… but at what cost. Can climbing maintain its supportive culture, community, and essence, if taken to these levels? If so, then the Pro League would only be a good thing. If not, climbing and what it looks like going forward will only continue to change and develop in new and unfamiliar ways. I guess only time will tell, and I sure hope this league will prove to be successful for all the right reasons.
Final thoughts
While there may be some uncertainty around this new events structure, and the long terms implications, one thing is for sure, the commentating is sure to be exceptional. As the former World Cup Circuit commentator, with Charlie, we know the event is certainly in good hands. Jokes aside, the fact this event is being established by Danaan and Charlie, gives me immense hope for its success and positive impact.
As we await more details and dates for the coming events, the air of excitement seems to be clouding out the apprehension. I look forward to reflecting back on this later in the year when we have a better picture of the Pro Climbing League and hopeful more insight into its ability to reshape our sport.
If you have any thoughts or fears of your own, feel free to share them in comment below.
The first–ever Pro Climbing League event will be broadcast live on Red Bull TV on Saturday, February 28.
