What is "superstars"

n. (plural of superstar English)

Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon. Points are awarded for the position in which the competitor places in each event. The competitor with the most points at the end of all ten events is declared the champion.

On the original ABC version, an athlete could compete in up to seven events, but no athlete was permitted to compete in the sport(s) of his or her profession. In the World, International, European and British versions of the contest, athletes would compete in 8 out of 10 events, with no one generally allowed to take part in their own sport, although some handicapping rules did apply.

The idea was developed by 1948 and 1952 Olympic figure skating champion Dick Button. He shopped the idea to all three U.S. television networks, and ABC bought it as a special for the winter of 1973. The first Superstars competition was held in Rotonda West, Florida in March 1973 and was won by pole vaulter Bob Seagren. The BBC covered the competition and aired their own programme, featuring British athletes on 31 December 1973, which was won by 400 metre hurdles Olympic champion David Hemery. Television broadcasts of the competitions were popular both in Europe and North America in the 1970s and 1980s. Further events featuring European athletes started from 1975, with six World Superstars championships taking place from 1977 to 1982.

Competitors participate in a range of different sporting events, including a 100 yard dash/ 100m sprint, half mile (800 m) run, obstacle course or steeplechase, weightlifting, soccer skills, rowing, tennis, basketball, bicycle racing, shooting and swimming. The sports have varied over time and between the various national and international competitions; in the first competition there was no obstacle course, but table tennis and baseball hitting were included, while the European versions featured a 600m Steeplechase, indoor cycling on a highly banked velodrome, and the infamous 'Gym Tests'.

Canadian soccer player Brian Budd was unbeaten in Superstars contests, winning the World Championship three times from 1978 to 1980, making him the most successful Superstar of all time.

Superstars, published in France in 2000 by Flammarion and translated in several languages, is the second novel by Ann Scott. Relating the tales of the techno culture emerging in France and in Europe in the late nineties, this pop novel instantly gave its author a cult status.

"Superstars" is a successful 2008 single taken from Dreams in Colour, the 2007 album of the Portuguese singer David Fonseca. "Superstars" is the first of three singles from the album, the other three being " Rocket Man" and " Kiss Me, Oh Kiss Me".

During 2007-2008, "Superstars" stayed 33 weeks in the Portuguese Singles Top 50 chart including 4 weeks at #1.

The Superstars was first broadcast by ABC Sports as a two-hour special in 1973. The idea was developed by 1948 and 1952 Olympic figure skating champion Dick Button. He shopped the idea to all three U.S. television networks, and ABC bought it as a special for the winter of 1973.

Bob Seagren, an Olympic pole vault gold medalist, was the first winner. However, it was heavyweight champion boxer Joe Frazier who nearly stole the show. In the very first event, the 50 meter swimming heats, Frazier nearly drowned, and only after he was retrieved from the pool did he admit to commentators that he didn't know how to swim. When a reporter asked him why he tried the race, Frazier replied, "How was I to know I couldn't unless I tried it?" He also famously opined, "That Mark Spitz," (who had won several gold medals for swimming at the 1972 Olympics) "is a tough muthafucker!"

Spin-offs included a women's version of the show, and a Superteams version, where the two World Series and Super Bowl teams each faced off (except that the owner of the New York Yankees at the time prohibited his players from competing, so in years where the Yankees were in the World Series, their league's runner-up competed instead), with the winners competing in the finals. There were also brief runs of versions for celebrities and for juniors, where each state's Department of Education was asked to nominate one high school, and those schools each sent one boy and one girl to qualifying rounds, with the final aired on TV.

The show remained popular in the 1970s, but ratings declined and the last edition produced by ABC came in 1984. NBC Sports picked up the program the next year and carried it from 1985 to 1990. ABC took the show back in 1991, and broadcast it through 1994. During a three-year period (1991–1993) the event was held in Cancun, Mexico. The competitions were held in different areas of Cancun Palace and Melia Cancun hotels. During that period former great NFL players Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdof and Lynn Swann worked as commentators of the Superstars Tournament.

There was no American version for three years (1995–1997) then ABC revived the show in 1998 and broadcast it through 2002. CBS Sports picked up the show the next year.

Several athletes won the event two or more times. Among them:

• Kyle Rote, Jr., Soccer, 1974, 1976, 1977
• Renaldo Nehemiah, track and field/ American football, 1981–83, 1986
• Herschel Walker, American football, 1987–88
• Willie Gault, American football, 1989–90
• Dave Johnson, decathlon, 1993–94
• Jason Sehorn, American football, 1998–2000

Speed skater Anne Henning won three straight women's competitions (1976–78). Basketball player Ann Meyers matched that feat in 1981 through 1983. Volleyball player Linda Fernandez won two straight events in 1979 and 1980.