You are right - if an athlete did not place anymore, grew too old, and could not compete anymore, another one came along. True.
Same with any other sport - whether surfing, Olympics sports, football, etc - that is what happens. Many competitors are independent athletes -
Just like the video game industry right now, or the poker world contests - you can play great and make money, via sponsorships, contests, but if don't play well, guess what - you won't do well.
As for various gyms, yes - they do pay homage to the Weider's - albeit hardcore gyms, but in newer gyms, they cater more to the mainstream, as it is a business and their clientele is different.
Like it or not not, the Weider's built bodybuilding into the mainstream thinking, and it has evolved. Respect.
This is how it is with EVERYTHING! Not just sports and athletes but EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY! I hear the same complaints in MMA. Name one bber whose sincere goal in life was to become a Mr. Whatever that would have been better off if there was no Joe Weider?
It's a business relationship. Joe promoted Arnold because Arnold benefitted Joe. So what? And Arnold signed the deal because it benefited him. It changed his life. What aspiring bodybuilder wouldn't have killed to be flown to America, set up in an apartment, given a car, a salary...
And when they can no longer perform. When they are no longer a benefit to the company it's bye-bye. It's called retirement. There is a guy at work who was recently forced to retire. The guy was 85, senile, could barely hear, literally shuffled around in pain and was pretty worthless as an employee. He literally did nothing productive. He would drive the forklift back and forth picking up and shuffling pallets around. He refused to help anybody.
Why should a company pay him a salary? So he's gone. What his life is now is not the company's responsibility. Nor should it be? They provided him with a very generous 401k deal but it's his responsibility to plan for his future.
Weider never discarded Arnold because Arnold was always productive. Robby Robinson always bitches about how he was taken advantage of and left out to dry. Would Robby have been better off if there was no Joe Weider? Weider gave Robby an opportunity, the best opportunity anybody could give, before or since. It was up to him what he made of it. And even though he's no Arnold he still makes a decent living off his bbing career. Never had to work a typical bullshit job where you have to punch in every morning and take orders from others and get watched all day. And do it day after day after day.
It's never about what you think somebody else should pay or get paid. Give or get. It's each party trying to get the best deal given the alternatives. You weren't going anywhere hooking up with Bob Hoffman. Other organizations tried to usurp Weider but they all failed.
There was a reason everybody wanted to be under contract to Weider. He'd make your career. He could change your life for the better if you can help make his company better.
