A lot of it has to do with willingness of sponsors to put up money for one type of broadcast vs. another. Powerlifting was broadcast in ESPN in the '80s, but it got swept off along with bodybuilding. It's too close to that & it makes people in sports bars where ESPN is broadcast uncomfortable. They can laugh at the WSM stuff, though, since it's so cartoonish. Beyond that, powerlifters are intimidating to the general public. They can't picture themselves doing it, & don't want to associate with anyone who does. Much of sports broadcasting is a fantasy wish fulfillment for viewers--they want to be able to do what they're watching. The general public doesn't want to powerlift.
