A New Kind of Reality TV
Cardillo’s World is New England’s premier sports and entertainment television series, airing on NBC Sports Boston and reaching millions of viewers throughout the region. Hosted by Steve Cardillo and Mai Tran, the two-time Emmy-nominated series takes audiences beyond the headlines to explore the stories, passions, and journeys of extraordinary people.
The Brand
Cardillo Weight Belts was founded in 1987 by Steve Cardillo, Cardillo Weight Belts has become one of the most respected and trusted names in strength training, serving athletes, fitness professionals, military personnel, first responders, and gym enthusiasts around the world for nearly four decades.
Built on a commitment to exceptional craftsmanship, durability, and performance, every Cardillo product is designed with one goal in mind—to help athletes train harder, perform better, and achieve their full potential. What began as a single handcrafted weightlifting belt has evolved into a globally recognized brand known for uncompromising quality and innovation.
Throughout its history, Cardillo Weight Belts has earned the trust of world champions, Hall of Fame athletes, professional sports organizations, elite coaches, bodybuilders, powerlifters, fitness influencers, and everyday athletes who demand equipment that performs under the toughest conditions. The company’s reputation has been built not through trends, but through decades of consistency, integrity, and customer satisfaction.
Cardillo products have been worn by some of the biggest names in sports, fitness, and entertainment, reinforcing the brand’s reputation as a symbol of strength, resilience, and excellence. From championship stages and professional locker rooms to military training facilities and local gyms, Cardillo continues to support individuals who refuse to settle for anything less than their best.
Beyond manufacturing premium training equipment, Cardillo has become a lifestyle brand dedicated to inspiring people through fitness, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. This commitment extends through Cardillo’s World, the two-time Emmy-nominated television series airing on NBC Sports Boston, where the company’s values of discipline, hard work, and perseverance are reflected in every episode.
As Cardillo Weight Belts approaches its 40th anniversary, the company continues to innovate while remaining true to the principles on which it was founded: quality without compromise, customer-first service, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
For nearly 40 years, Cardillo Weight Belts has stood for more than strength—it has represented commitment, discipline, and the belief that greatness is earned through hard work.
Cardillo Weight Belts. Built for Performance. Trusted for Generations.
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Iconic Athletes and Celebrities
Each episode combines compelling interviews, fitness, food, wellness, travel, and behind-the-scenes experiences to create an authentic look at the lives of legendary athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and influential personalities. From championship icons and Hall of Famers to rising stars and hometown heroes, Cardillo’s World celebrates the determination, discipline, and perseverance that inspire success.
More than a traditional interview show, Cardillo’s World offers viewers an immersive experience. Whether training alongside world-class athletes, exploring New England’s hidden gems, showcasing local businesses, or highlighting innovative brands and community leaders, every episode is designed to entertain, motivate, and connect audiences through meaningful storytelling.
Since its debut, the series has featured an impressive lineup of guests, including Hulk Hogan, Zdeno Chára, the Gronkowski brothers, Gerry Cheevers, and many other celebrated figures from the worlds of sports, entertainment, and business. Its engaging storytelling and high production quality have earned two Emmy Award nominations, recognizing excellence in long-form television.
Behind the camera, Cardillo’s World is driven by the creative partnership of Steve Cardillo and Mai Tran, who serve not only as hosts but also as the visionaries behind the series. Together, they have built a brand that blends inspiration, entertainment, and authentic human connection while showcasing the people and places that make New England unique.
Beyond television, Cardillo’s World has grown into a dynamic multimedia platform that extends across digital content, social media, brand partnerships, live events, and community engagement. Through strategic collaborations and integrated storytelling, the series helps businesses connect with highly engaged audiences in memorable and meaningful ways.
At its heart, Cardillo’s World is about more than sports or celebrity. It is about the people behind the success—the sacrifices they made, the obstacles they overcame, and the lessons they learned along the way. Every episode reminds viewers that greatness is built through passion, resilience, and the courage to pursue something bigger than yourself.
Welcome to Cardillo’s World—where legendary stories inspire the next generation.
The Audience
The audience of Cardillo’s World is as dynamic and diverse as the stories we tell.
Airing on NBC Sports Boston, Cardillo’s World reaches viewers throughout New England and benefits from strategic scheduling following Boston Celtics and New England Patriots post-game live coverage, placing the series in front of an already engaged audience of passionate New England sports fans.
Our viewers are interested in sports, fitness, entertainment, food, wellness, lifestyle, entrepreneurship, and personal success. They tune in to connect with legendary athletes, celebrities, entrepreneurs, and inspiring personalities—and to discover the personal stories behind their success.
Beyond television, Cardillo’s World extends its reach through a powerful digital and social media presence. Through the combined platforms of Cardillo’s World, Steve Cardillo, and Mai Tran, our content reaches a broad community across television and social media, allowing audiences to continue engaging with our guests, stories, and brand partners long after each episode airs.
At the heart of our audience is a shared mindset: ambition, discipline, resilience, and a desire to live better, perform better, and achieve more.
For our brand partners, this creates a unique opportunity to connect with consumers across multiple touchpoints. Through television commercials, in-show integrations, social media exposure, branded storytelling, and authentic interaction with our hosts and guests, our partners become part of the Cardillo’s World experience—not simply advertisers surrounding it.
Whether viewers are tuning in following their favorite Celtics or Patriots coverage, watching legendary athletes share stories they’ve never told before, discovering the latest fitness and wellness experiences, or exploring the restaurants, businesses, and destinations featured on the show, Cardillo’s World brings together a highly engaged community through the worlds of sports, entertainment, inspiration, and lifestyle.
Our audience doesn’t just watch the journey. They become part of it.
Your Hosts
Steve Cardillo
Host / Co-Creator / Director /
Steve Cardillo (@cardilloweightbelts) For nearly four decades, Steve Cardillo has built a legacy defined by discipline, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. As the Founder and CEO of Cardillo Weight Belts, Steve transformed a small family business into one of the most respected strength training brands in the world, trusted by elite athletes, world champions, Hall of Famers, military personnel, first responders, and fitness enthusiasts across the globe.
Founded in 1987, Cardillo Weight Belts quickly earned a reputation for uncompromising craftsmanship, superior quality, and performance. Steve’s dedication to creating products built to withstand the demands of the strongest athletes helped establish Cardillo as an iconic name in the fitness industry for nearly 40 years.
Before becoming a successful entrepreneur, Steve was an accomplished athlete in his own right. A former All-Scholastic hockey player and Drug-Free National Powerlifting Champion, he developed the work ethic and perseverance that would later define his business career. Those same values continue to guide everything he does today.
Steve’s lifelong contributions to athletics and the Italian-American community were recognized in 2025 when he was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors celebrating the achievements of Italian Americans in sports.
Today, Steve serves as the co-host of Cardillo’s World, the two-time Emmy-nominated television series airing on NBC Sports Boston. Alongside co-host and Executive Producer Mai Tran, Steve travels throughout New England and beyond, sharing inspiring conversations with legendary athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and changemakers. Through authentic storytelling, fitness, food, wellness, and behind-the-scenes experiences, Cardillo’s World celebrates the people whose passion, resilience, and determination have shaped their success.
Throughout his career, Steve has worked alongside some of the biggest names in professional sports, entertainment, and fitness, building lasting relationships rooted in trust, respect, and integrity. Whether mentoring young entrepreneurs, developing innovative products, interviewing iconic guests, or inspiring audiences through television, his mission remains the same: to motivate others to pursue excellence and never stop improving.
Steve’s story is proof that lasting success is built through discipline, consistency, and an unwavering belief in your vision. His journey—from athlete to entrepreneur, television host, and Hall of Fame inductee—continues to inspire individuals and businesses to strive for greatness while remaining grounded in the values that matter most.
“Success isn’t given. It’s earned through discipline, passion, and the determination to never quit.” – Steve Cardillo
Mai Tran
Host / Co-Creator / Director /
Mai Tran (@maimodel) is a 2X Emmy-nominated Executive Producer, Writer, Director, and Co-Host of Cardillo’s World on NBC Sports Boston, where she helps bring inspiring stories of athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and changemakers to audiences throughout New England.
Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Mai immigrated to the United States as a young child with her family in pursuit of the American dream. Raised in Massachusetts, she learned early the values of hard work, perseverance, gratitude, and resilience—principles that continue to shape both her personal and professional life.
Over the past two decades, Mai has built a remarkable career spanning television, media, fitness, entrepreneurship, publishing, and brand development. Since joining Cardillo Weight Belts in 2006 as the company’s National Spokesmodel, she has played an integral role in expanding one of the most respected names in the strength training industry while helping lead the brand through the evolution of digital and social media.
Today, Mai serves as the creative force behind much of Cardillo’s World. As Executive Producer, Writer, and Director, she oversees creative development, storytelling, sponsorship strategy, brand partnerships, production, and marketing, helping shape the vision of the two-time Emmy-nominated series. Together with co-host Steve Cardillo, she has helped transform the program into one of New England’s premier sports and entertainment television series.
A respected media personality and entrepreneur, Mai has collaborated with many of the world’s leading fitness, nutrition, fashion, and lifestyle brands throughout her career. She has appeared in numerous national fitness publications, including Muscle & Fitness, Flex, MuscleMag, and Inside Fitness, while building long-term partnerships founded on authenticity, professionalism, and trust.
Mai is also the #1 best-selling author of Active Girls Healthy Women, a book dedicated to inspiring confidence, healthy living, and personal growth. Through her work as an author, television personality, speaker, and content creator, she continues to encourage others to pursue their goals with courage, discipline, and purpose.
Across television, social media, and live events, Mai has built a community of hundreds of thousands of followers by sharing content centered on entrepreneurship, wellness, leadership, motivation, and personal development. Her authentic approach and ability to connect with audiences have made her a trusted ambassador for brands and an influential voice within the fitness and media industries.
Whether she’s producing award-nominated television, interviewing legendary athletes, developing strategic brand partnerships, or inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs, Mai remains driven by a simple belief: success is earned through passion, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to becoming better every day.
Her journey—from a young Vietnamese immigrant to an Emmy-nominated television executive, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and media personality—is a testament to what is possible when opportunity is met with determination.
“Dream big. Work hard. Stay humble. Never stop believing in what’s possible.” – Mai Tran
Meet the Team
