Future of Bodybuilding

[Young Gotti]

Phil Heath has over 3.2 million followers on FB, so your point is still shit.

yeah and Justin Compton has 8,881 on fb, ct fletcher has 858,000....numbers work both ways bud

dexter Jackson is 108k, big ramy 184k

[Curt James]

but I never paid for a bodybuilding show....I get free breakdowns and pictures from rxmuscle :-)

True. The Internet has been a blessing for bodybuilding fans. I won't go into a "When I was a kid" rant, but wow!

DLB charges $150 for her boot camps not to mention travel and hotel if needed.....at this point in time I'm willing to say more ppl know DLB as a social media personality than an Olympia athlete (CT Fletcher has done camps with her)

you say DLB and most ppl probably gravitate towards her clothing line, same with Rob

theres only one way to solve this...someone with a camera goes and interviews ppl at random gyms and ask ppl...jay leno in the street style

I like the in the street interview idea. lol

And DLB crosses the line between competitor and Internet celebrity. She's a true hybrid. Was just at the pool listening to Rob's Hungry and I'm pretty sure I've read that just as many non-bodybuilders as bodybuilders are fans of her FnF line.

[Joe Pietaro]

Pro bodybuilding as a competitive sport is complete shit and has been going downhill for years. What the social media personalities have done is give people an outlet to follow it as a lifestyle rather than a sport and stage and it's blatantly obvious that formula is working for them.

The sport has alienated people not only from any potential mainstream pool, but within its own targeted demographic, as well.

I used to defend it to people who didn't "get it," but now I feel that they may have been right all along. I'd be covering a game in the press box at a Giants, Mets or Knicks game and the other sportswriters would basically laugh at what I was doing when I looked over my site or social media pages doing a little business during halftime or a time out.

Sure, their attitude was that it was all juice and gayness, but they had no idea about the bullshit politics involved. So what is the marketing plan to bring in more people or retain the ones who are already there?

That's the problem - there isn't one.

With the social media bodybuilders, there is a clear cut strategy and when I interviewed Rich Piana for my upcoming issue, he told me that countless people would tell him that they were only there for the expo and had no idea nor gave a shit who was competing that night at the IFBB show.

[Ironbrian82]

Pro bodybuilding as a competitive sport is complete shit and has been going downhill for years. What the social media personalities have done is give people an outlet to follow it as a lifestyle rather than a sport and stage and it's blatantly obvious that formula is working for them.

The sport has alienated people not only from any potential mainstream pool, but within its own targeted demographic, as well.

I used to defend it to people who didn't "get it," but now I feel that they may have been right all along. I'd be covering a game in the press box at a Giants, Mets or Knicks game and the other sportswriters would basically laugh at what I was doing when I looked over my site or social media pages doing a little business during halftime or a time out.

Sure, their attitude was that it was all juice and gayness, but they had no idea about the bullshit politics involved. So what is the marketing plan to bring in more people or retain the ones who are already there?

That's the problem - there isn't one.

With the social media bodybuilders, there is a clear cut strategy and when I interviewed Rich Piana for my upcoming issue, he told me that countless people would tell him that they were only there for the expo and had no idea nor gave a shit who was competing that night at the IFBB show.

joe your a smart guy what do you think the solution is, to get bodybuilding back to the 90s and early 2000s, ive been watching videos on youtube with guys saying its the politics and promoters whats your opinion pal, and joe whens Gregg coming out with some new rant vidz cheers

[Joe Pietaro]

joe your a smart guy what do you think the solution is, to get bodybuilding back to the 90s and early 2000s, ive been watching videos on youtube with guys saying its the politics and promoters whats your opinion pal, and joe whens Gregg coming out with some new rant vidz cheers

Thanks, Brian. I wish that I knew a perfect solution so I could make a shitload of money by implementing it! LOL. But it's blatantly apparent that politics weigh heavy (as it does in many walks of life, especially in the business world...and bodybuilding is a business) and that has made people feel untrustworthy.

Was it perfect years ago? Of course not. But as a fan before I was involved in the industry as a journalist, I don't recall nearly as much complaining about this. Sure, that was the pre-social media days and it wasn't as accessible to state opinions. But even in conversations with fellow fans, it wasn't as bad as this. (That is a fair comparison, IMO, meaning the fan's opinions on how the shows were 20 or more years ago.)

Whenever you have a monopoly, it is hard to feel that things are on the up and up. Take MMA, for instance. I'm sure there are fighters out there toiling in the smaller organizations because a higher up in the UFC has a hard-on for them. So they had to rely on Strikeforce, WEC or PRIDE until the UFC purchased them. So now it's Bellator, which leaves a lot to be desired.

Gregg has put out a few newer videos on his YouTube channel. SOme funny shit going back and forth with a vegan bodybuilder.

[Ironbrian82]

Thanks, Brian. I wish that I knew a perfect solution so I could make a shitload of money by implementing it! LOL. But it's blatantly apparent that politics weigh heavy (as it does in many walks of life, especially in the business world...and bodybuilding is a business) and that has made people feel untrustworthy.

Was it perfect years ago? Of course not. But as a fan before I was involved in the industry as a journalist, I don't recall nearly as much complaining about this. Sure, that was the pre-social media days and it wasn't as accessible to state opinions. But even in conversations with fellow fans, it wasn't as bad as this. (That is a fair comparison, IMO, meaning the fan's opinions on how the shows were 20 or more years ago.)

Whenever you have a monopoly, it is hard to feel that things are on the up and up. Take MMA, for instance. I'm sure there are fighters out there toiling in the smaller organizations because a higher up in the UFC has a hard-on for them. So they had to rely on Strikeforce, WEC or PRIDE until the UFC purchased them. So now it's Bellator, which leaves a lot to be desired.

Gregg has put out a few newer videos on his YouTube channel. SOme funny shit going back and forth with a vegan bodybuilder.

I completely agree with you joe, even the boys down the gym the real hardcore guys who have dbol for breakfast has said its shot to shit, I think you guys should do this topic on iron debate, by the way ive seen him ranting on the vegans, get Gregg to put a new video out every week on muscle sport mag which im a member of and see if dave will have you and Gregg on ask dave again that's the funniest episode ive seen and ive seen them all, or do ask Gregg vidz on msm, all the best man

[Joe Pietaro]

I completely agree with you joe, even the boys down the gym the real hardcore guys who have dbol for breakfast has said its shot to shit, I think you guys should do this topic on iron debate, by the way ive seen him ranting on the vegans, get Gregg to put a new video out every week on muscle sport mag which im a member of and see if dave will have you and Gregg on ask dave again that's the funniest episode ive seen and ive seen them all, or do ask Gregg vidz on msm, all the best man

For the record, I didn't pay Brian to write that! LOL.

Thanks, bro. I hate to even say that because I have loved bodybuilding as a sport since the late 1970s when I first saw "Pumping Iron" on PBS channel 13 in NY and had boxes of old Muscle & Fitness, FLEX and MM2K for years, trudging them with me from apartment to apartment to eventually my house before I tossed them.

So to look at it now with all of the political nonsense and ass kissing going on is pretty shitty. Thankfully there is more than the shows and that's where I see the future of it as a lifestyle and business model.

Gregg and I LOVE doing RX shows with Dave and would come back on whenever he wants us to. Valentino is currently having a good natured YouTube battle with some kid that calls himself "Vegan Gains," who is pretty witty and puts out some impressively produced videos.

Then there's this other guy called "Vegan Hair" who challenged Gregg to an MMA fight and the loser has to follow the other's diet for a month.

Both of these would be great topics to cover and be a pisser.

[Ironbrian82]

For the record, I didn't pay Brian to write that! LOL.

Thanks, bro. I hate to even say that because I have loved bodybuilding as a sport since the late 1970s when I first saw "Pumping Iron" on PBS channel 13 in NY and had boxes of old Muscle & Fitness, FLEX and MM2K for years, trudging them with me from apartment to apartment to eventually my house before I tossed them.

So to look at it now with all of the political nonsense and ass kissing going on is pretty shitty. Thankfully there is more than the shows and that's where I see the future of it as a lifestyle and business model.

Gregg and I LOVE doing RX shows with Dave and would come back on whenever he wants us to. Valentino is currently having a good natured YouTube battle with some kid that calls himself "Vegan Gains," who is pretty witty and puts out some impressively produced videos.

Then there's this other guy called "Vegan Hair" who challenged Gregg to an MMA fight and the loser has to follow the other's diet for a month.

Both of these would be great topics to cover and be a pisser.

joe didn't pay me im just being honest, I'll check out the vegan mma guy, Gregg better start training as Gregg wont last 5mins without his steak, plus greggs hand is broke he hit it on something stupid