Team Building Can Be Much More Than “Amazing Races”

Over the past two decades, the popularity of “Amazing Race”–style team building events has exploded.

Why so many Amazing Race style events? They’ve been fun, energetic, and a good excuse to get people outdoors. Yet, after thousands of versions and countless copycats, it’s fair to say the format has been well and truly done to death. The question is—why do so many decision-makers still default to it?

Perhaps it’s a case of familiarity breeding complacency. The television show was a global hit, so choosing an “Amazing Race” style event feels like a safe bet. But for organisations seeking genuine outcomes—collaboration, creativity, leadership, and inclusion—this overused format can actually fall short. It often rewards speed over strategy, competitiveness over cohesion, and can even alienate those who are less mobile or less inclined toward physical exertion.

An experienced provider such as Sabre Corporate Development, which has been crafting meaningful team experiences since 1988, knows that real team building can be so much more. Teams thrive when challenged through variety, imagination, and relevance to workplace dynamics—not just a sprint through city streets.

Sabre’s extensive portfolio includes experiences inspired by art, fashion, engineering, history, film and even military strategy. Programs such as Picture Perfect, The Quest, When in Rome, Operation Rollerball, and Team DNA encourage problem-solving, creativity, and authentic collaboration in ways that go far deeper than physical competition. These approaches are carefully designed to be inclusive, thought-provoking, and adaptable to every team type and ability level.

So why settle for what’s familiar when you can do something truly original and far more effective? Great team building should surprise and delight people, leaving lasting insights and stronger connections back in the workplace—not just tired selfies at another finish line. So next time a PA is researching team building for an off-site, please ask them to go past the painfully obvious Google Search of 'Team Building Amazing Races' and dig a little deeper. It's worth it.

When it comes to engaging, inspiring and uniting your people, an “Amazing Race” might get them running—but a Sabre experience gets them truly working together.