The USA event is much bigger than what it was prior to Jon Lindsey taking the reigns. It may be the second largest show however no show is successful without promoting the event heavily every single year and bringing in new sponsors as supplement companies come and go.
Jon does take a risk every year in hosting the event. Running a show isn't as easy as you think and nothing is garranteed. That's what people thought about the AAU Mr America, the North American Championships, and of course the Masters Mr Olympia. No promotion is garranteed
The USA is NOT much bigger now than it was 20 years ago, and to the extent it is BIGGER that is 100% due to the fact that they made it a NATIONAL QUALIFIER.
Jon faces little to no risk in putting on the USA. Even a trained circus chimp like you could do it, not as good, but you could do it. I could do it. Ron A. could do it. Shit, even Squadfather could do it (with Derek's help
).
Before Jon started promoting shows in San Diego we had a certified MORON running them (and the NPC So. Dist.) and making money off them (CC Sanders). So it is not hard to make money off of NPC BBing shows-and an NPC NATIONAL QUALIFIER would almost be impossible to lose money on.
Jon, like Mike Glass before him, knows how to run a good show, and do a good job at it-but most people who tried could too-it's not rocket science.
As for the AAU Mr. America, that show was run by the NPC for YEARS, as for the Masters O, that show was not around for 75 years prior, not a good comparison, same goes for the NA.
