On October 9, 2015, Esquire Network announced a spin-off of American Ninja Warrior which would feature twenty-four 3-person teams (two men and one woman) of popular ANW alumni.

[6] On May 31, 2016, Esquire Network announced a sixteen-episode second season that will also include a five-episode special college edition that will have college-aged competitors go head-to-head against rival schools.

A ten-second penalty applies for failure to clear obstacles in the relay race, assessed to the next player on the team.

For instance, competitors can drag their feet through the pool on the Sonic Swing, but if they fall completely off the rope, they are disqualified.

Often competitors will brush the water in an effort to catch up, but their slick feet most commonly hurt them later on obstacles such as the Warped Wall.

The season ended with "Party Time", consisting of members Brian Arnold, Jake Murray, and Jennifer Tavernier crowned Team Ninja Warrior Champions, winning over "TNT", which included members Travis Rosen, Adam Arnold, and Joyce Shahboz.

Team Ninja Warrior: College Madness was a five-episode special season that premiered on November 22, 2016, on Esquire Network.

Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila hosted with ANW fan favorite Kacy Catanzaro as the sideline reporter.

[23] The tournament was ultimately won by the University of Wisconsin, with a team consisting of Zack Kemmerer, Andrew Philibeck, and Taylor Amann.

In addition to American Ninja Warrior Jr., Universal Kids acquired the rights to the series and started airing it in 2019.