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WEBVTT REPORTER: I CAN ALREADY HEAR THE BEAT THAT WALL BEAT THAT WALL CHANTS COMING FROM DOWNTOWN. WHAT CAN CINCINNATIANS EXPECT? IT IS FINALLY COMING TO OUR BACKYARD. >> IF WE ARE GOING TO DO SEASON 11, WE WANTED TO DO IT BIG AND A BIG TIME PRIME TIME IN CINCINNATI. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE EVER BEEN TO CINCINNATI, OHIO. THIS IS THE BUCKEYE STATE FOR A REASON. WE WILL BE DOWNTOWN WITH BEAUTIFUL SKYLINE, BUT WE WILL ALSO HAVE A BUNCH OF ALL-STAR NINJAS, THE TOWERS OF POWER -- 70 BIG ONES AND OHIO’S OWN MICHELLE. TO HAVE HER THERE IN HER OWN BACKYARD WILL BE GREAT, BUT WE WILL ALSO SEE A LOT OF NEW OBSTACLES. LAST YEAR WE INTRODUCED A LAW THAT IS ABOUT 18 FEET TALL. WE ARE GOING TO ADD A TWIST TO THAT. THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL WILL BE RAMPED UP PAST 10. REPORTER: WHAT ABOUT THE GUYS HERE WHO WANT TO JOIN THAT FABLED WALK ONLINE. >> YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT. IF YOU WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND BE A NINJA, GET UP EARLY, MAYBE A MONTH EARLY AND STAY OUT THERE. PEOPLE HAVE STAYED OUT THERE FOR ABOUT 32 OR 33 DAYS TO GET A SPOT. IT HAS PAID OFF FOR SO MANY. WE HAVE HAD STORIES IN THE PAST WHERE WE HAD COMPETITORS WAITING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE. LAST YEAR WE DID SOMETHING NEW. WHOEVER COULD GO THE FURTHEST. THE ALL-STAR NINJA WAS ABLE TO GET $100,000 BY GOING DEEP INTO THE THIRD -- THE THIRD LEG OF OUR SHOW. IT WAS BIG FOR US. I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING FOR SURE. CINCINNATI, WE ARE EXPECTING A HUGE CROWD. IF YOU WANT TO COMPETE, YOU KNOW THE DATE.

Advertisement 'American Ninja Warrior' is coming to Cincinnati this spring Share Shares Copy Link Copy

NBC’s "American Ninja Warrior" is coming to Cincinnati this spring. Going into its 11th season, the series will make a stop in the Queen City on May 24-25. It will be filmed downtown along Second Street, near the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.Host Akbar Gbaja-Biamila said he's excited to bring the hit show to Cincinnati for the first time. “This is going to be the first time that we have ever been to Cincinnati. We’re excited about this. This is the BUCKeye State for a reason,” Gbaja-Biamila said.And he's bringing an all-star cast of ninjas with him.Crowd favorites -- Brandon Mears and Dan Polizzi -- will all be competing, as well as Ohio's own Michelle Warnky.For the most part, the cast of ninjas competing in Cincinnati has already been selected. But there are still several opportunities for Cincinnati-area ninjas to make themselves known.There's room for several additional competitors. But those wannabe ninjas have to wait in the walk-on line. Joining the walk-on line will be a rather ambitious feat. "You've got to be patient. If you want to join the walk-on line and come out here to be a ninja, that's all you have to do. Get up early – maybe a month early – and get in that walk-on line," Gbaja-Biamila said.Gbaja-Biamila said that, in other cities, people have joined the walk-on line more than 30 days in advance. The location for the walk-on line will be released as the event nears.It's quite the event when "American Ninja Warrior" comes to town. There will be several family-friendly activities each night as the series films.“Cincinnati, we’re expecting a huge crowd out there. There’s no excuses for the Cincinnati ninjas,” Gbaja-Biamila said.Free tickets for the event will be made available here. If you plan on attending the filming, plan on a late night. Filming is expected to take place from 9 p.m. through 2 a.m. daily.The Cincinnati qualifying round is expected to air at some point during the show's run on NBC, throughout the summer of 2019.The action-packed series follows competitors as they tackle a series of challenging obstacle courses in qualifying and finals rounds in cities across the country.The top competitors from each city move onto the national finals round in Las Vegas, where they compete for $1 million."American Ninja Warrior" will also makes stops in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Seattle and -- of course -- the final in Las Vegas.