April 26, 2025

NBC has announced that American Ninja Warrior is coming back for Season 17 - its 14th on the network - on Monday, June 2. The veteran athletic competition has become a summer staple, garnering consistently-solid ratings that perform well against its time slot competition.

Based on the Japanese series 'Sasuke,' which has now aired 42 seasons, American Ninja Warrior began its stateside run in 2009 on the now-defunct cable channel G4 before moving to NBC in 2012.

The show closely mirrors the original Japanese format, featuring athletes from all walks of life taking on a series of extreme obstacle courses in city finals around the country. Those advancing move on to the national finals round in Las Vegas, which features a four-stage course that closely resembles Japan's well-known Mount Midoriyama course. $1 million is on the line for anyone who can conquer all four stages at the National Finals.