Re Competitor numbers

[hrdcor]

Hey you all , just new to the site, but not to the sport, been around for a while actualy, Competeted in lots of shows, Won over 30 amature titles, including Mr NZ and Mr Aus,even been a Ifbb pro!! Any how great site whom ever is in charge of it, well done.

I wanna kick off by talking about the current state of the sport here in NZ,I beleive it is in great decline,as of the past few years competitor numbers have been droping,some shows getting around only 20 athletes there, last weekends INB womens show only had 18 !sponcers are droping out,the NZFBB has had at least 4 sponcers pull out in the last few weeks! When I was competting as a amature here in NZ there was at least 12-15 competitors in my weight class alone!!

Things are not to hot at the moment, Nabba and the Nzfbb are both seeing a decline in support and money, especialy the Nzfbb who are currently in $45000-00 of debt.

Something needs to be done , the sport needs to be revitilised and glamourized,I have a number of ideas on what could be done but it would be most intresting to see what you people have to say first!

I have good insight into the running of our sport here in NZ and have strong opinions where it is going wrong, but I would like to know if you see the same pitchure as me and if so what you think is the problem, if any!!

Regards Hrd Cor ( that was a nick name given to me by Lee Labrada once and it sort of stuck!)

[Marcus]

Is this Marc Rainbow?

[Ash]

Hrdcor - I was wondering if this a NZ problem or is the interest in competing in bodybuilding contests fading in the rest of the world?

From my limited understanding of competitive bodybuilding, there seems to be a huge amount of amateur level competitors overseas. We should theoretically have a similar proportion of entrants relative to our population unless the sport is being badly promoted locally. It does seem like the NZ bodybuilding organizations are in a bit of disarray right now.

I'd like to hear your point of view on this subject.

[waldo]

From a cost perspective it's always going to be a turn off to those that want to 'do a comp' to say they have done it. Great to be able to say I've done one, but that is the intention, only one!

On the other hand, those that make BB a lifestyle could probably be turned off by the lack of support around....a plastic thanks for coming trophy....after 1000s of bux and 1000s of hours effort? Doesn't pan out does it.

From a newbies perspective, it could be termed a little daunting, esp. if one wanted to compete naturally. They probably feel at a dis-advantage right form the word go.

From a 'weekend warrior' perspective, I always loved BB as a sport because of fellas like Arnold. Every sport has one, a guy that is just so far above the pack. Not just in performance, but in charisma. Look at Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong and others. These guys are at the pinnacle of their sports, and they act as magnets for those that want to aspire to such great heights. IMO BB doesn't have that anymore.

BB also has probably gotten too big for it's boots literally. 95% of participants think guys like Ronnie are just horrible. The physiques have to come back to something resembling a human build before this sport can proceed back to a level anywhere near it used to be.

My 0.02c!

[hrdcor]

I disagree Waldo, for as long as I have been in the sport(20 yrs)there have been individuals that were deemed as untouchable, monstors, freaks,this has never changed!!Also the dollar value of competting has always been there , but that is a expence all sports have,name me one amature sport that does not complain about moneys and funding and the like!!!And as far as overseas intrest goes , by what I can tell through my overseas travel and overseas intrests(I write for Muscle Mag International,USA and Europe)bodybuilding is very much alive,probibly stronger than ever before!!

I beleive the problem NZ is facing is relativly localised, and it is due to poor federation management,to many people viaing for the slice of the pie, to much hypocrisy and not enough thought given to there product "the athlete"!

There are way to many shows that just provide what you talked about a plastic trophy, the Nationals and a national title has lost all its glamour and prestege,and through very poor mangement the NZFBB is in huge dept, with no stratgy to revamp its product or even a budget to control the spiral downward!! In all honesty there is only realy room for one federation , a federation that would feed all the international federations and there shows, but realy do you think that the current indivduals in charge would ever be able to put there egos aside for the good of the sport !!! I doubt it !!! To get change for the better first we need to make change!!!

[waldo]

If the sport is in such great decline, where does that responsibility lie? Surely something started the rot? How will organisations such as the NZFBB get sponsors to replace those who have left if there is no rescue plan? 40-50 grand is a lot of cash for a non-profit organisation to be in debt with, and surely with BB in decline, that sort of money is going to be really hard to come by. SPARC ain't gonna front with that sort of money. Hell, there aren't too many sports in NZ that can command an audience with the low population base we have and hence command sponsorship fees like that.

Lots of questions I know, but valid ones I think.

[Ash]

From a 'weekend warrior' perspective, I always loved BB as a sport because of fellas like Arnold. Every sport has one, a guy that is just so far above the pack. Not just in performance, but in charisma. Look at Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong and others. These guys are at the pinnacle of their sports, and they act as magnets for those that want to aspire to such great heights. IMO BB doesn't have that anymore.

Unfortunately, bodybuilding hasn't had someone like Arnold since Arnold himself.

He was the last bodybuilding champion who was charismatic enough to reach the mainstream public in a meaningful way and raise the profile of bodybuilding in general. These days, in the eye of the public, it's all about monsters and steroid abuse. If you ask a few thousand people "who's the best bodybuilder in the world" or "who's the current Mr. Olympia", you'll be damn lucky if a fraction of them even mention someone who's still competing (Ronnie who?).

Still we're not really talking about reaching the mainstream public here. Going to gym is fairly normal but competitive bodybuilding has always been on the fringe. You're trying to reach the small percentage of people in NZ who might consider a bodybuilding contest as some kind of entertainment and the even smaller percentage who are willing to go through the hardship of entering a contest for their own personal satisfaction.

Is a new federation the answer? It probably can't be much worse than the current players if the situation is as bad as it's being made out to be. As Waldo pointed out, money is critical and unless the new federation has a fair amount of money available (or sponsors lined up), I don't know if it will be able revive the interest in competitive bodybuilding.

The current federations are also not likely to just gracefully step aside so it's probably going to get nasty but if you and others like you believe in this, then as you said, you've got to make the change.

[waldo]

Still we're not really talking about reaching the mainstream public here. Going to gym is fairly normal but competitive bodybuilding has always been on the fringe. You're trying to reach the small percentage of people in NZ who might consider a bodybuilding contest as some kind of entertainment and the even smaller percentage who are willing to go through the hardship of entering a contest for their own personal satisfaction.

[jono]

the answer is to get a MARKETABLE CHAMPION. that the general public would aspire to look like. this way more and more people would take up bb

[Marcus]

I think heads need to roll in the NZFBB. The way that organisation has been run seems to have deteriorated badly & I think it has lost touch with the sport. Too many ego's.

One federation is the way to go definitely.

I think by having a clean up of the ego's & politics, the sport will become more marketable in itself.

[Ash]

the answer is to get a MARKETABLE CHAMPION. that the general public would aspire to look like. this way more and more people would take up bb

Yes indeed but the only way to do that is to drop the size and freakish appearance of today's champs down to something the public finds appealing. The last professional who I think would fit the bill in terms of appearance was Flex Wheeler but he wouldn't even be able to get on stage today.

Getting a champ who looks right and also has a magnetic personality is another story entirely.

[waldo]

the answer is to get a MARKETABLE CHAMPION. that the general public would aspire to look like. this way more and more people would take up bb

Yes indeed but the only way to do that is to drop the size and freakish appearance of today's champs down to something the public finds appealing. The last professional who I think would fit the bill in terms of appearance was Flex Wheeler but he wouldn't even be able to get on stage today.

Getting a champ who looks right and also has a magnetic personality is another story entirely.

That's the key variable...the magnetic personality. That's why Arnold was so good. This will get people too the sport, but you also need someone to run/manage the whole affair.

This has obviously been the problem up until now. There are reports all over the shot of mis-management of funds, un-happy sponsors, positive drug tests, dis-gruntled athletes (and dwindling numbers too.).

First identify the rot, second stop the rot, three new direction. New Federation anyone?

[hrdcor]

The problems deffinitly run with the management/or current committe members of the federations.Take for instance the Inbf Natural womens show held in the weekend just past,heres a promoted natural show who was sponcered by a male hormone and steroid supply clinic here in Auk(Transistions Clinic)now not that i have any thing against the clinic themselfs but what the F--- were they doing as a sponcer at this show???, what type of message is this giving,as a matter of fact they also sponcered a NZFBB show not just 6 weeks ago here in Auk as well.I also know that 2 sponcers of bodybuilding have given notice to the NZFBB that they will no longer be sponcering them due to this terrible desicion.

The point I am making is who ever is responsable for this situation to have happened needs there arse kicked and booted out,someone had to ok them being there!! that someone needs to front up and say sorry I screwed up big time,it is totaly unethical and disrespectful to the athletes whom are with this federation because they are in favour with our stance on this matter!!! I mean come on who makes these decisions!! Heads should role for crap like this, it makes BB look stupid and it is costing the federations thousands of dollars in loss sponcership because of it, and you wonder whats happening to our sport, its crap like this that is just let go that slowly rote the sport, time to stop the rot ???

[Spitterkat]

man, when i first joined the gym, i didnt know bodybuilding was a sport, its only because of research in other areas that i came to find out that it was, if someone told the public how everything goes down (this site is good, but it needs advertisement) then i rekn the problem would go away, also good physiques are key "mass monsters" etc, i dont know anyone who would aspire to be that (everyone i know says arnold is massive, he was big, but not a freak.), i had never heard of nzbff, nabba etc etc until i found this site (and i found this site on accident)

[deegee]

the answer is to get a MARKETABLE CHAMPION. that the general public would aspire to look like. this way more and more people would take up bb

i have no idea who the NZ pro bbers are. Are they marketed ? No not at all as a person on the fringes of the scene I would expect to know the names of at least the NZ no 1. This is the big problem at the moment with the sport in NZ, no promotion

[frogie2001]

when was a show last put on the sport news? why is the NZFBB not promoting it it this sense? this would surely promote the sport and get people interested in competing?

My gym doesn't nor has it recently had posters advertising the competitions. when asked why they said they have never received any. people have to actively seek suc things, New Zealanders don't actively seek anything, we need it thrown at us before we might think about doing a show.

the comment was made about the incentives (prizes) given. personally this isn't a big thing to me, but to keep people gunning for the top, they need to see something that can be gained, and BB in NZ has very little recognition.

Promotion and more promottion, TV sports time would push this a long way.

Cheers,

F

[hrdcor]

NZ bodybuilding has over time gained some TV exposure, I myself have had stories done on me as a competitor, actualy I have had a least 6 tv stories done on me as a bodybuilder, hell I even did Ready Steady Cook, once!! TV 3 through the help of Dobbo has run stories on the Nationals , and even did a minature doco on me competting ,so we have had exposure, but the thing is bodybuilding is always ganna be a fringe sport, a cult sport if you like, and no matter how much tv exposure you get, it will always be looked upon as such , thats just the way it is . So then smart thinking then suggests that for a cult to be strong its members have to be beleivers in the cult, and mebership to the cult can only ever be expected to be gained by individualy making other people beleivers, we are never ever going to get a mass influx of members into the cult no matter how much Tv we are on. So then wise thinking would be to make sure the exsisting membership are true followers , and true happy followers then will spread the word , unfortinatly the members arent happy, through poor management of the cult more are leaving than joining, so under that rational the cult management need to pull their fingers out of there bottoms, actualy the cults mandate states that they are actualy charged under there managment roles(committe)to do just that, promote and grow the sport at all times and to have it in good stead publicly, financialy and legaly !!! so dont blame the TV !!