Samantha Impaglia 
Survivors ready… go! If you’re a Survivor fan, you know these words all to well. While the competition show is usually held in a tropical location far far away from the Garden State, Hoboken residents have the chance to be involved in a local offshoot of the ever-so-popular reality TV show this month. Run by Hoboken resident and Survivor fan Matt Carlson, the Mile Square version of the show — a week-long social competition — will take place from Monday, March 31st and run through Sunday, April 6th. Read on for everything you need to know about Survivor Hoboken, and how Hudson County residents can apply for the local competition.
What is Survivor Hoboken?
While there won’t be any locals shipping off to remote locations or being broadcast on TV in this Hoboken version of Survivor, it will include other elements of the show like daily challenges and tribal councils “until 1 person is crowned the sole survivor of Hoboken, NJ,” per the website. The social competition will take place from Monday, March 31st through Sunday, April 6th. The winner will receive $250 and the title of “Hoboken Season 1 Sole Survivor.”
This local version of Survivor will be facilitated by Hoboken resident and Survivor fan, Matt Carlson. Matt fell in love with Survivor over 10 years ago, and has even applied to the show more than six times. Think of him as the Mile Square version of Jeff Probst.
“Born from a passion for Survivor and a love of competition, Survivor Hoboken is designed to bring people together, challenge them, and create lasting friendships,” the website says.
“Excited to run the game!” Matt told The Hoboken Girl.
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How Will the Competition Work?
We’re sure you’re wondering just how this local version of Survivor will work. Per the website, “Survivor Hoboken will be played similar to your favorite reality TV show Survivor without the cameras, grueling conditions, and living together.” The game will be played over the course of one week starting on March 31st at 7PM. There will be one to two tribal councils per day, in which people will be continuously eliminated from the game until the contestants are narrowed down to the final three.
Each challenge will test each participants’ athleticism, coordination, the ability to work with a team. If you work well under pressure, Survivor is just the thing for you. There will be a mix of in-person challenges (like Retrieve + Shoot, where contestants will shoot basketballs with their team) as well as at home challenges (like being the first person to solve the daily Wordle puzzle).
Tribal councils and challenges will be held outside of normal working hours (Monday through Friday from 9AM-5PM), and may be held in person or via Google Meet. The website also mentions that there may be some hidden immunity idols, backstabbing, and twists — essentials of a typical Survivor season.
More information about the challenges can be found here. The full Survivor Hoboken rule book can be found here, and includes information about tribe selection, challenges, tribal council, being voted out/on the jury, the final tribal council, winning the game, absent players, advantages, and the code of conduct.
How Can I Apply?
Hudson County locals can apply to Survivor Hoboken by filling out a Google Form HERE. After that, applicants will complete a 5-10 minute phone interview with Matt to learn more about you and why you want to participate. The final “cast” will be announced on or before Thursday, March 27th.
There is a $50 Venmo entry fee to participate. If you are one of the first three people voted out, you will get your money back. The entry fee money will be used to fund the challenges and prizes for the winner. The website notes that no show will be produced from this competition (aside from some social media clips), and each participant will be required to sign a waiver.
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About Survivor
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Survivor is a reality TV game show hosted by Jeff Probst that takes 16-20 contestants to an isolated location, usually a tropical locale. The contestants compete in daily challenges while working together to survive in groups and find food, water, and shelter. The American version of the show is currently in its 48th season, which first kicked off in 2000 in Borneo, located in Southeast Asia.
Each season lasts about a month, and includes a variety of daily endurance and mental challenges to win immunity, including swimming challenges, obstacle courses, puzzles, and more. The teams that lose the challenges must attend tribal council, where a contestant is voted off the show by their team. The last remaining “survivor” wins a grand prize of $1 million dollars.
Please note, this local competition is not affiliated with Survivor on CBS.
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