Why bother being with IFBB or PDI?

[Bigger Business]

The only reason i'd wanna be an ifbb pro is a shot at the Mr. Olympia title.....regardless of any other show it is the most prestigious title in the biz. That being said.......a person wishing to pursue that goal has about a 1 in a trillion chance of actually achieving that goal.

The PDI seems to be pitching a few extra comp dollers and more contractual freedom than the ifbb.

Bodybuilders dont make their money from shows and being affliated with a federation only seems to limit earning potential in the bread and butter market......endorsements, appearances etc.

Moral of the story........stay amatuer, live longer, make more money.

[240 is Back]

Euro guys, guys under 240, guys with classic lines... they're typically ignored in big IFBB shows.  They will be the showpiece at PDI shows.  You'll be able to look at the top 5 and say 'damn, I wanna look like that'.  Who wants to really look like a coleman or cutler in real life?

[Bigger Business]

Euro guys, guys under 240, guys with classic lines... they're typically ignored in big IFBB shows.  They will be the showpiece at PDI shows.  You'll be able to look at the top 5 and say 'damn, I wanna look like that'.  Who wants to really look like a coleman or cutler in real life?

A lot of people wanna look like cutler or coleman........many more want to be mr O.

My point is that federations simply limit earning potential and are pointless enterprises

[Tre]

Moral of the story........stay amatuer, live longer, make more money.

Or you can join Women's Physique International/Masters Physique International.

Oops.   

[dorkeroo]

Or you can join Women's Physique International/Masters Physique International.

Oops.   

I just want to help backstage with the fitness girls. Any help here Tre?

[Disgusted]

Or you can join Women's Physique International/Masters Physique International.

Oops.   

That's just wrong. 

[kmhphoto]

Euro guys, guys under 240, guys with classic lines... they're typically ignored in big IFBB shows.  They will be the showpiece at PDI shows.  You'll be able to look at the top 5 and say 'damn, I wanna look like that'.  Who wants to really look like a coleman or cutler in real life?

Who will be the top 5 at the NOC then?
From the line-up we already know of.
Is Lee the favorite?

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

Euro guys, guys under 240, guys with classic lines... they're typically ignored in big IFBB shows.  They will be the showpiece at PDI shows.  You'll be able to look at the top 5 and say 'damn, I wanna look like that'.  Who wants to really look like a coleman or cutler in real life?

If that's true then why was the first PDI pro Athlete was Rhino???  He definitely does not fit that mold of aestetics.  He's just....well a Rhino.  If that was true then the first athlete to be picked would have been someone else....even Galanti


Seriously, 240 your comments as to why the PDI is going to be better is getting a little....fuzzy. 

[the shadow]

A lot of people wanna look like cutler or coleman........many more want to be mr O.

My point is that federations simply limit earning potential and are pointless enterprises

dude there r federations in every sport...for eg the olympic federation,powerlifting federations..etc..dude so ur saying that when a guy wins a big contest...is there a tax on their earinig or do they get all of their money without any type of taxes on them???

[bigdumbbell]

dude there r federations in every sport...for eg the olympic federation,powerlifting federations..etc..dude so ur saying that when a guy wins a big contest...is there a tax on their earinig or do they get all of their money without any type of taxes on them???

[onlyme]

dude there r federations in every sport...for eg the olympic federation,powerlifting federations..etc..dude so ur saying that when a guy wins a big contest...is there a tax on their earinig or do they get all of their money without any type of taxes on them???

Not sure what you are asking but the athlete is responsible for the taxes on his winnings. 

[240 is Back]

If that's true then why was the first PDI pro Athlete was Rhino???  He definitely does not fit that mold of aestetics.  He's just....well a Rhino.  If that was true then the first athlete to be picked would have been someone else....

Damn, Vince.  I feel like I'm wasting time explaining things to you that should be common sense.
Have you looked at the list of the names that have declared?  There are a slew of aesthetic guys on there.  Rhino going first showed he had the balls to believe in what Wayne planned and jump in first.  Others followed.  Lee was the first major IFBB  pro. 

[WOOO]

Damn, Vince.  I feel like I'm wasting time explaining things to you that should be common sense.
Have you looked at the list of the names that have declared?  There are a slew of aesthetic guys on there.  Rhino going first showed he had the balls to believe in what Wayne planned and jump in first.  Others followed.  Lee was the first major IFBB  pro. 

others will follow... the PDI could be a new beginning for pro bodybuilding... on the other hand it couls just be a joke like the IFBB in a couple of years

[MisterMagoo]

i think, sadly, that the people that will be attracted to the pdi are the ones who aren't good enough to succeed in the ifbb. if you can get top 10 at the mr o, what incentive do you have to go pdi? lee is an exception, but he's lee and his history with the ifbb isn't the nicest. financially the fed doesn't offer much to someone who can get into the top tier in ifbb shows and they certainly don't have the reputation of the olympia.

a pdi show isn't going to be paying over $100,000 for the win plus a vehicle for a long time. and even when it does, that show still won't be "mr olympia". the people the pdi will get will be those who for one reason or another can't make any money in the ifbb. until they start pulling really big names they won't drum up much support. and to pull the big names they need to have a hell of a lot to offer.

people want the pdi to succeed just because it's competition to the "evil" ifbb. but unless there's a gameplan that isn't just "be another fed" it won't go anywhere.

[240 is Back]

i think, sadly, that the people that will be attracted to the pdi are the ones who aren't good enough to succeed in the ifbb. if you can get top 10 at the mr o, what incentive do you have to go pdi? lee is an exception, but he's lee and his history with the ifbb isn't the nicest. financially the fed doesn't offer much to someone who can get into the top tier in ifbb shows and they certainly don't have the reputation of the olympia.

a pdi show isn't going to be paying over $100,000 for the win plus a vehicle for a long time. and even when it does, that show still won't be "mr olympia". the people the pdi will get will be those who for one reason or another can't make any money in the ifbb. until they start pulling really big names they won't drum up much support. and to pull the big names they need to have a hell of a lot to offer.

people want the pdi to succeed just because it's competition to the "evil" ifbb. but unless there's a gameplan that isn't just "be another fed" it won't go anywhere.

I respect your opinion here man. 

You're right- the PDI will not attract the top 3 guys in the IFBB.  But they may get guy #4

For the athletes- Unless your name is coleman, cutler, dex, or gustavo, you're not going to be earning 100k a year from BBing.  For them it makes sense to stay.  but since the careers in the sport are so short- a ten year competitive pro career is a rare thing- why not jump if you know you're not going to earn $10k in your whole iFBB career? 

For the fans- it's NEW!  Imagine going to a BBing show and NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT.   How many fans know what every O will be like?  You know who the top 10, top 3 will be.  You know who will be there, what the politcal banter will be.  This is NEW.  We don't know what shows will be like.  Wayne's talking like it'll be way more fun and exciting than ifbb shows, and the athletes have all sorts of cool stuff planned! 

Gameplan- aesthetic, guys that look like fans/everyday public want to look like, and more exciting shows.

[MisterMagoo]

i think the big thing the pdi needs to do is bide their time. exist for a few years and start snagging promising rookies. as many as possible. getting former ifbb heavyweights is all well and good for initial support, but what will lock them in as the new game in town is once the next generation files in and the ifbb is getting the also-rans.

look at the wwf and wcw. the wcw started pulling all of the wwf's older big names. at one point they had pretty much everyone that had made the wwf popular. they petered out after a few more years and got bought by the wwf. why? no new talent. it was cool and all to see old faces getting play again, but after a while it doesn't work.

i know i sound contradictory in my message, but i think it boils down to two things: give the athletes a reason to come and concentrate on the new blood over the old. don't just get people who haven't gotten ifbb cards despite years of trying or people who can't do well in ifbb shows. that makes the pdi look like the haven for bottom-rung athletes to get paid. get the guys the ifbb is looking forward to, the ones that would have made a splash in the ifbb had they stayed. not the ones who SHOULD have been big, the ones who WOULD have if they didn't get snagged by the pdi.

i just have this bad feeling too many pdi guys are going to be there because "the ifbb didn't give them their just due" which makes it seem like the kiddie pool.

[Luv2Hurt]

Sad to say it but this PDI think will go nowhere.  Barely enough interest in the sport from fans and sponsors to support one federation let alone 2.  I think the IFBB will continue to be the major (only) player here. The BB members are a divided lot, they are lucky to have any kind of income doing what they do............cause very few people care.  Just not mainstream enough to bring anykind of truly big dollars to very many athletes.

You see though this is why I like it who wants to sit through all the corporate advertising and corny phoniness?

[Bigger Business]

You guys have missed the point.

Look down the list of the top 100 ifbb pro's. How many of them do you think could make a living from competition winnings? My guess would be 4-5 tops and at that its pretty meagre $$ for a 'professional' athlete.

They can make their money doing appearances, supp. endorsements, personal training etc. but that requires initiative and entreprenuerial skillz.

No one has said WHY a bodybuilder should be in ifbb OR pdi yet, coz you know I'm right.

[VGalanti]

If that's true then why was the first PDI pro Athlete was Rhino???  He definitely does not fit that mold of aestetics.  He's just....well a Rhino.  If that was true then the first athlete to be picked would have been someone else....even Galanti


Seriously, 240 your comments as to why the PDI is going to be better is getting a little....fuzzy. 

Hey thats the first compliment you gave me.....gee thanks

[benchthis]

and how exactly do amateurs make money

[Bigger Business]

and how exactly do amateurs make money

ive already written it twice


BB federations offer their athletes nothing...and charge them 'membership' for it

[kmhphoto]

ive already written it twice


BB federations offer their athletes nothing...and charge them 'membership' for it

So a bodybuilder competes in an IFBB show ,does well, gets exposure in magazines, from the exposure he get's endorsement contracts, guest appearances where he can sell dvd's, photo's etc. etc.
How is that nothing?

[onlyme]

ive already written it twice


BB federations offer their athletes nothing...and charge them 'membership' for it

Yea it is funny that you pay a membership fee yet you get NOTHING for the money except the right to compete in a BB show they sanction in which you then pay another fee to the promoter to compete in the show you already paid the organization to compete in.  What a deal!

[Bigger Business]

So a bodybuilder competes in an IFBB show ,does well, gets exposure in magazines, from the exposure he get's endorsement contracts, guest appearances where he can sell dvd's, photo's etc. etc.
How is that nothing?

The IFBB offers it's 'professionals' an opportunity to compete in sanctioned shows. Thats it and thats assuming the shows go ahead for 1....oh and of course.....they have to 'pay their dues' to "do well"....what happenned to merit?

You're looking at this in the traditional sense....and clearly it dosnt work. After 40 years or whatever, rather than growing, the federations have become more and more complacent and athletes have just gone along with it.

Why do you think Arnold is still on the covers of bodybuilding magazines? Because its propoganda for the federations......."if you have a physique like arnold you will be rich and famous!" Thats what theyre telling us.......I can tell you right now it was a lil more than winning the mr. O a few times that got arnold where he is today.........Governer Coleman/Haney? I dont think so.

[onlyme]

i think, sadly, that the people that will be attracted to the pdi are the ones who aren't good enough to succeed in the ifbb. if you can get top 10 at the mr o, what incentive do you have to go pdi? lee is an exception, but he's lee and his history with the ifbb isn't the nicest. financially the fed doesn't offer much to someone who can get into the top tier in ifbb shows and they certainly don't have the reputation of the olympia.

a pdi show isn't going to be paying over $100,000 for the win plus a vehicle for a long time. and even when it does, that show still won't be "mr olympia". the people the pdi will get will be those who for one reason or another can't make any money in the ifbb. until they start pulling really big names they won't drum up much support. and to pull the big names they need to have a hell of a lot to offer.

people want the pdi to succeed just because it's competition to the "evil" ifbb. but unless there's a gameplan that isn't just "be another fed" it won't go anywhere.

The PDI shows will attract allot more sponsors than the IFBB shows.  Not only supplement companies but sponsors outside of the industry.  The bodies of the PDI in the most part will be the type the majority of the people (not BB fans) will enjoy looking at and being around and someday having.  For this reason, the sponsorship possibilities are endless.  The IFBB has restricted the type of sponsors they can secure.  The PDI will be out promoting a more healthier look and healthier lifestyle. 

To say the PDI will never have a $100,000 prize is probably correct.  It could very easily be allot higher.  The IFBB has absolutrely not one hint of creativity or marketing ingenunity. Not one.  The PDI will be a marketing and sponsorship cash-cow for the athletes.  Something that can't be said for the IFBB except 5 or 6 guys. 

I still have never heard back from Chic or anyone on the number of IFBB pros there are.  I can understand why they would suppress the numbers.  It is very embarassing to see how many of the IFBB pro actually make any kind of money and I mean jst over $10,000 a year.  I bet less than 5%.  And I mean from competiton money.  Add in sponsorship money and it might go as high as 10%.  These numbers are nothing to get excited about.

You guys keep saying that the PDI will not get the top tier guys.  WHo cares.  The top tier guys are the ones and the types of bodies that have detoriated the popularityof Bodybuilding.  Why would the PDI want those guys.  The only reason those guys do anything is that they sell some seats at the shows.  The PDI will have great bodies too and they look more pleasing to more people.  They will fill the seats.  No problem there.  Bt the imprtant part is that the bodies of the PDI will give them more opportunity to make more money than they could ever do in the IFBB.