This is the only way the general public is going to accept bodybuilding as a sport, not a circus freak show. Hay IFBB. Want to be taken seriously by the people who have $$$? Want to go mainstream in that you can aspire to compete with the best in the world. Do what every other major sport in the world is doing. TEST ATHLETES YEAR ROUND. It's not hurting baseball 1 bit. It makes people respect the hard work it takes to attain a world class physic, not inject it. Take the drugs out, put everyone on an even playing field and I'd bet the top ten wouldn't change that much. The true genetic freaks would be back and people would pay to see that.
Bodybuilding in general is considered a "circus freak show"...are you trying to say that the general public would all of a sudden become interested if it was LESS of a freak show?
There have been Natural show's for years, drug tested, etc...They don't even appeal the the bodybuilding fans, let alone the general public.
Speaking of baseball....when WAS baseball hurting? When Sosa and Mac were battling for the homerun title? When the "bash bros." were lighting up the HR scoreboard? When this whole steroid scandle broke out? The fans have NEVER stopped going to games or buying merchandise,the sponsors have never pulled the advertising dollars because they think there is a steroid problem...and the fans could generally give a shit, they are looking to see a good game, competition, and home runs...they have no vested interest in what the players are taking or not taking.
As you stated, "Take the drugs out, put everyone on an even playing field and I'd bet the top ten wouldn't change that much."....EXACTLY. Nothing changes.
To think that by drug testing, droves of fans would suddenly start to take an interest in a sport they have no interest in anyway, is ridiculous...