There’s no one more bullish about the future of The Amazing Race than the show’s longtime’s host Phil Keoghan. Ever since the show switched from two cycles to one cycle per year, a common fan refrain (at least among my Race-watching pals) is that we wish we could be on the same cycle as Survivor and do two seasons per year. While the powers that be have not granted us that wish, the host of the reality competition series on CBS did recently give us a piece of good news: Season 37 is finally on the 2025 TV schedule.
Keoghan recently made the announcement on social media, confirming CBS’ winter TV schedule, but also addressing the fan complaint I’ve heard most often in recent years. Per his Instagram post:
We have an airdate for Amazing Race Season 37. We’re gonna be back March the 5th, that’s in 2025. Ninety-minute episodes, I promise it’s really, really good. I know you’d love more Amazing Races; I know that you would love us to be back sooner. But listen, we’re back and we’re excited about sharing this new season with you. Can’t wait, you’re gonna love it.
Survivor and The Amazing Race have long been tied together by fans, many of whom do watch both. The two shows have been on the air for more than two decades (with Race starting in 01 after Survivor premiered in 00), both air on CBS, both have fanbases that have aged with the shows, and now both are even airing 90-minute episodes. There’s a lot of commonalities, but Survivor still gets two seasons a year while lately Race has only gotten one, and that's remained true as Survivor Season 47 has played out on TV.
I’d hedge Race has been cut back for several reasons. First, its ratings, while not way lower than Survivor, are lower than Survivor. In recent years, the Jeff Probst-led show has also been able to cut back on budget by filming repetitively in Fiji, cutting the number of days and reusing challenges and puzzles rather than globe-trotting and more. Race doesn’t really have that ability, as its whole premise revolves around traveling across varying parts of the globe. In fact, during the pandemic, the show even had to rent a private jet in order to move contestants around. Assumedly that cost a pretty penny. To boot fandom for Survivor is also incredibly high across streaming, podcast, Twitter (X) and other platforms while Race fans seem to enjoy the show more quietly, so it gets more interest that way, as well.
As a longtime viewer myself (who has even re-watched the series in the past with my Hulu subscription), I totally get why it’s a bummer we only get one season per year (usually) now. But on the same note, I always try and remember there have been a slew of competition shows that have come and gone in the time frame since Survivor and The Amazing Race first started. The fact they have survived and thrived for so long is an achievement, and it’s a testament to all of us who make it a point to tune in. Amazingly (pun intended), longevity is something Phil Keoghan himself frequently brings up when discussing the show.
So, yes, I’ll be watching when Season 37 kicks off on March 5th and I’ll count myself lucky to be able to do so. And yes I also hope Survivor’s Franny and Matt eventually say yes to appearing on the show. Because nothing is truly better than when two fandoms collide on one reality show.