Ms. Olympia replacement contest (FACEBOOK RUMOR) updated 3rd of March 2015

[redrob]

I hear what you are saying Ninja, but how do you think the women would feel if at the highlight of their calendar, they came out to pose and do their routines to about 50 friends, family and hardcore schmoes in an otherwise empty auditorium. We will see how it pans out but I fear the worst...which is a shame.

[bruce321]

There's precedent for this. The Women's Strength Extravaganza (WSE) was held for quite a few years and included a pro show. I attended a couple of times, and it was the typical bodybuilding audience - friends, family, BB's, and a smattering of shmoes. They had some sponsorship, but nothing significant. I assume they weren't losing (much?) money, or it wouldn't have gone on as long as it did.

I've asserted in the past that the sport of bodybuilding is self contained and self supporting. They don't need us or the mainstream. I don't see much overhead to putting on a show. They rent a high school auditorium and most of the people working the show are volunteers. That and any prize money is paid for from ticket sales and entrance fees.

If you think about who puts these shows together, it's mostly gym owners. They aren't excessively wealthy people. It's more a matter of passion than money. I don't see why a business like Wings of Strength couldn't do it, especially if they have some inside help from the BB community. Plus, as others have mentioned, they have more opportunity to obtain additional funding from us via sponsorships, donations, and selling contest media.

For everyone's sake I hope it happens and that people are willing to put their money where their mouths are.

[achilleus]

If my memory is not completely wrong this was the ultimate dream of the community: a rich guy to sponsor a event focused around FBB. Now it is taking place and negative reponse is floating the board before even any details have been published? Sounds a bit like self fullfilling prophecy, some people are freaking afraid of the whole thing to happen.

And whats that completely stupid and single minded schmoe talk all about, is this some weird way to bring yourself down or others? Female Bodybuilding is a cool sport, even artists and business people are starting to discover it. And it is as simple as that: buy a ticket to the next local event, turn up to the show, enjoy! Like for any other sport event.

[the_arbitrage]

I don't think there's necessarily negative it's more about just being realistic. There's still this desire by many in the extreme niche wanting that level to be accepted and respected as the other divisions and levels are, yet in the same breath saying extreme fbbing doesn't need or want the mainstream...but ya can't have it both ways. To extreme fbb fans yes it is very cool no doubt but still isn't outside that niche, in fact is pretty much the polar opposite. I do think "schmoes" and extreme fbbs get a bad rap but is based on what that standard represents. It's still currently structured to consume itself (within the mainstream market) although that doesn't need to be the case, it still is. And that level has always been funded by some rich guy and/or woman..along with the target schmoe audience who support it. With the IFBB and other bodybuilding orgs they didn't want it but had no alternative at that time because the other divisions had not been developed yet, but now are in place. Evidently WoS is just the only one willing to assume the risks and promote extreme fbb which = attracting more schmoe fan based support but at the same time detracting mainstream support and major league sponsors. Again the extreme fbb niche and mainstream fitness markets are like polar opposites, so generally the more you attract of one you lose with the other.     

[phy911]

Wings of Strength has connections with the IFBB and NPC. They have sponsored shows, one of which is the Chicago Pro which I attended and had a f_cking blast. Based on my personal experiences I've no doubt they are capable of making this contest happen.

[achilleus]

Wings of Strength has connections with the IFBB and NPC. They have sponsored shows, one of which is the Chicago Pro which I attended and had a f_cking blast. Based on my personal experiences I've no doubt they are capable of making this contest happen.

Nice. Did you have the chance to talk to any of the girls?

I know a group of guys who regularly fly from Europe to watch the Mso. Small group, maybe 5 or 6, but with this exclusive setup, who knows, we may be 20 this time. I hope WoS does not forget about the party factor (AWDs etc.) because thats one major enjoyment factor of the shows.

[phy911]

Nice. Did you have the chance to talk to any of the girls?

I know a group of guys who regularly fly from Europe to watch the Mso. Small group, maybe 5 or 6, but with this exclusive setup, who knows, we may be 20 this time. I hope WoS does not forget about the party factor (AWDs etc.) because thats one major enjoyment factor of the shows.

These are few of my cell phone pics from the Chicago Pro. Schmodentities concealed. All the girls I talked to were happy to let me take their pic. Some more flirtatious than others. 

[MuscleFreek80]

Nice. Did you have the chance to talk to any of the girls?

I know a group of guys who regularly fly from Europe to watch the Mso. Small group, maybe 5 or 6, but with this exclusive setup, who knows, we may be 20 this time. I hope WoS does not forget about the party factor (AWDs etc.) because thats one major enjoyment factor of the shows.

These are few of my cell phone pics from the Chicago Pro. Schmodentities concealed. All the girls I talked to were happy to let me take their pic. Some more flirtatious than others. 

I am SO jealous............I really wish I was there. 

[lyle918]

JEALOUSY!  COMPLAINTS from other female BBs?  By canceling Ms O its one sure way to keep Iris Kyle from winning it again!  I wonder how she feels about the canceling? 

[pumpfiction]

JEALOUSY!  COMPLAINTS from other female BBs?  By canceling Ms O its one sure way to keep Iris Kyle from winning it again!  I wonder how she feels about the canceling?

Given Kyle just retired after winning her tenth title, I don't think the next Ms O tops her priority list now...

However, as TSF pointed out, WoS has strong connections with the NPC/IFBB consortium, especially through the influence of Tim Gardner; and with the precedent cases of the Ms O 1998 (Organized in Prague by former Czech bodybuilder Jarka Kastnerova) and the Ms O 1999 (Saved at the last moment after the same Kastnerova bailed out and then integrated into the WSE 1999 by Kenny Kassel and Bob Bonham), I'm confident they would find a way to settle this providing the money's in.

[the_arbitrage]

I think if one looks a bit deeper below the surface the politics are still in full-effect with everything here. It's not a really question of whether a WBB div will be included at WoS since it already has been for yrs, it just hasn't been removed yet. Simply adding a little more prize $ won't magically transform anything or create any major impacts in the bigger picture. And this is FAR from any kind of "Olympia replacement"...more like, moving from the World Series down to the minor leagues. As I mentioned before extreme fbbing is still currently structured to consume itself and this is yet another step towards phasing it out of the mainstream market and relegating it to the Xfbb niche.     

[phy911]

I think if one looks a bit deeper below the surface the politics are still in full-effect with everything here. It's not a really question of whether a WBB div will be included at WoS since it already has been for yrs, it just hasn't been removed yet. Simply adding a little more prize $ won't magically transform anything or create any major impacts in the bigger picture. And this is FAR from any kind of "Olympia replacement"...more like, moving from the World Series down to the minor leagues. As I mentioned before extreme fbbing is still currently structured to consume itself and this is yet another step towards phasing it out of the mainstream market and relegating it to the Xfbb niche.     

[the_arbitrage]

[fbbluvr13]

Nice. Did you have the chance to talk to any of the girls?

I know a group of guys who regularly fly from Europe to watch the Mso. Small group, maybe 5 or 6, but with this exclusive setup, who knows, we may be 20 this time. I hope WoS does not forget about the party factor (AWDs etc.) because thats one major enjoyment factor of the shows.

These are few of my cell phone pics from the Chicago Pro. Schmodentities concealed. All the girls I talked to were happy to let me take their pic. Some more flirtatious than others. 

Whos ABs are those?

[UK_Fan]

Let's all hope that something resembling the Ms. O goes ahead this year and on an ongoing basis, though from all account above there appears to be a good number of hurdles, notably the IFBB themselves, and a lack of sponsorship/prize-money.  I just pray that all the pro FBBs can agree (a few of their egos appear to be preventing this at present) on a way forward, so they can present a united front during any 'negotiations' over what to do now and going forward.

I still found it strange that the IFBB and their 'judges' thought that having Iris retire and (hopefully) Alina takes her Ms. O crown (should've been in 2014 IMHO) is a bad thing, given how much more 'viewer friendly' Alina is...