Season 39 of The Challenge Limits Veteran Player Participation, Introduces New Format and Champion Contenders

Season 39, dubbed "Battle for a New Champion", sees 24 contenders compete for the crown, with 10 veterans, including Cara Maria Sorbello and CT Tamburello, returning not to win but to challenge the newcomers in a modified format that's stirring mixed reactions.

• Season 39 of MTV's 'The Challenge', termed 'Battle for a New Champion', introduces a new format where 24 contenders who have never won the title before compete for the crown.
• In an unorthodox move that's stirring mixed reactions, veteran players like CT Tamburello and Cara Maria Sorbello return not to win but to compete against the contenders in eliminations and disturb the competition dynamics.
• There are qualms about the reduced screen-time and involvement of veteran players, a key appeal of 'The Challenge', with fears that these changes might lessen the show's impact.
• Cara Maria Sorbello, after a four-year hiatus, returns to participate not as a competitor but as a hurdle for the new contenders; her return to the franchise has been criticized as not befitting the legacy of a previous title-holder.
• The new format involves three legs: 'control', where contestants work as a team to earn money; 'chaos', with veteran players threatening to reduce the prize money won in the first level; and 'conquest', giving contenders a chance to increase their final prize. The winner bags the total amount, while second and third places also receive some cash.

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