The Elimination of FBB after 2011

[BrandiMae]

I am trying to find the thread or topic of discussion where people are talking about how after 2011 the NPC will no longer be promoting FBB but yet this physique category that they have now implemented.  So what this means is that FBB on an amateur level is now being eliminated.....so for all of you true BB fans out there what the organization is trying to do is completely change the sport.  I can understand why to some extent, however, I am very disheartend by it as well as many people truly love the FBB sport.  Not to say that we can't still consider ourselves FBB, however, this sport is really starting to get out of control with the politics, etc.  

IT IS NO LONGER A TRUE SPORT..IT IS A BUSINESS BEING RAN LIKE A BUSINESS....MONEY IS THE MOTIVE...WHAT A SHOCKER RIGHT?

For those who don't know me...I speak my mind, I have an opinion and I am NEVER scared to say what is on my mind about anything....you don't like it..I don't give a S*IT.......

xoxox
BrandiMae

[BrandiMae]

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[samusaran]

is physique more muscular than figure?

[middletn]

The sport has been political for a long time.

Seems the only way the women earn a living is with the videos/pics/webcams.

Seems to me too is there are too many people who are really not in the sport, that are profiting off the women.

[Bobt]

Thanks for your thoughts Brandie. I have always been a big fan of FBB since the earlie Eighties when it hit big time and I hope like hell there will always be competitons. Is the reason for it no longer being with us becouse it is a financial problem for the backers or is there more to it than that?
It's will be an "EXTREMELY SAD DAY" when all we have to look at is men and I for one won't do it. I support men's bodybuilding competitions in spirit only and I wish them well.

[Timmon]

Women need to take control of their own sport, it's the only way to drive it forward the way they want it to go. Jan Tana would probably be a great ambassador and head of a new womens organisation. Bodybuilding is dependant on sponsorship from the big fitness and suppliament companies.

My personal overview. Originally, Weider and others, saw the women's sport as a way to tap into a largely missing 50% market ie Women, who did not consider weight lifting as feminine. Thus the first contests and Rachel McLish as the model for the sport.
Very quickly, women pushed their potential to the limit and cries of "too muscular" rang out, so Fitness and then Figure came into being. Now FBB's are considered a "liability" as they are so muscular that they no longer serve a purpose to promote suppliaments and equipment, in fact probably have a negative effect amongst the general public who see FBB's as evidence that if they exercise and take suppliaments, they will end up looking like Iris Kyle in 2 weeks! (this being the view held for many years I expect).

So the IFBB are withdrawing support for FBB's.  However, other organisations still exist, like NABBA. Alina Popa is a product of NABBA.  
NABBA have very muscular FBB's. NABBA invented Figure , years before the IFBB came up with the "idea", for women who either did not want to be as muscular as hard core women, or who were on their way from up from the Fitness category. Figure girls in NABBA don't just rotate when they pose, they flex. They wear high heels. They wear make up. Yes, they flex and pose! What a shock, they show their muscles in competition. Whatever next, that's almost too interesting....

The Hard core NABBA FBB's compete in.... The Physique division! Funny that. IFBB  not such a forward thinking organisation, is it?

What I don't understand is why the IFBB women are not leaving to join NABBA? NABBA get very little coverage, yet they have some of the worlds best bodybuilders. Everyone is obsessed with the IFBB and NPC. When the doom merchants say bodybuilding is dying, I say "rubbish, the IFBB is dying". Or self destructing.
Maybe the problem is that NABBA is an amateur organisition, I am not aware of how you would be regarded as a professional, I imagine you have to join the IFBB or NPC and start again.


I find the obsession with changing FBB odd. I thought it was just me, but I find IFBB figure and fitness totally un interesting. Nothing against the athletes, they are fansastic, fit, dedicated, beautiful, etc. iI just find those divisions boring . I found it interesting that this view is being voiced in a few bodybuilding forums from those who attended the Arnold weekend, so it can't just be me after all. It looks like if the IFBB are going to change their hard core women's division, they need to be looking at the whole of their contest structure. Happy Days!

[Timmon]

The sport has been political for a long time.

Seems the only way the women earn a living is with the videos/pics/webcams.

Seems to me too is there are too many people who are really not in the sport, that are profiting off the women.

middletn, I could not agree with you more, but would take it further and say the sport has always been political, it may be more so now, but it always has been.
And the contest side of the sport has been and probably always will be sponsored by big companies, who want a return on their investment, at least cost. So yes, profit is the only reason for contests as far as the sponsors are concerned, and unless the general public, and many within the sport itself, start supporting FBB's for what they are, this current situation of uncertainty will continue.

But regarding "making a living" from being a bodybuilder, very few should enter the sport expecting to break even financially. Lots of sports around the world are "for fun" only, bodybuilding is usually one of them. Unless you are Arnold of course!

[teflon10]

Timmon pretty much hit the nail on the head: the only way women's bodybuilding can continue to exist or ever be treated as a real sport is for women to take control of it, specifically veteran FBBs.

However, I'll be honest and tell you I usually forget that it is intended to be a sport. I appreciate FBBs in the same way as others might appreciate a pretty actress or supermodel, or the way a woman might appreciate a man who stays fit and has muscular arms to hold her with. It's totally sexual.

Problem is, it seems like it's not too different for judges, or at least popular opinion regarding competitors. If it's a real sport, it has to be protected from that.

[BrandiMae]

Thank you all for posting your thoughts; I honestly couldn't agree with you all more.  For me personally FBB was a choice that I made as something I enjoyed doing.  Mostly likely because I have been very good friends with many Male BB for a long time, I have seen the politics for a long time.  I can't honestly say I understand either how so many FBB put all their eggs into a basket with so many holes.  I mean some of the women and men sacrafice so much and spend so much time for no real return and I personally do not understand it either  even as a competitor.

My suggestion to all competitors in any organization...USE THE ORGANIZATION AND PEOPLE AROUND IT..DON'T LET THEM USE YOU.  I mean some people have these massive dreams pertaining to BB; all the IFBB and NPC do is exploit these people's dream for their own financial gain.  I believe the sport is so bad now that even amateur male BB are giving prize money kick-backs to certain promoters just to win shows.  Not to mention NPC judges are being suspended for being caught trying to sexually exploit competitors for the sake of winning a shows.

I honestly do not like speaking bad about anyone or any entity, however, the IFBB makes enough money that each IFBB professional could have a paycheck and great health insurance, but certainly why would the organization do that when nobody really demands anything....


xoxoxo
BrandiMae

[westernport]

At least from what I have seen, it looks like the athletes are in a way just looking after themselves. There seems to be no one really advocating for change and letting things stay the way they are.

For example, the big dogs in the sport - Jay Cutler and Iris Kyle - could user their standing to perhaps start a way to improve things; however, they both (especially Jay) seem to be all about maximizing their opportunities personally.

Like others have said, until the women feel the need to come together and let some of their grievances known, they will continue to be taken advantage of. The way I see it, the federations really don't care about their athletes unless they have a certain dollar value. From the way it sounds, the women - especially the bodybuilders - are at the bottom of the totem pole and being taken advantage of.

As well, as much as we all want sports to be pure and the embody a spirit of competition, it's a huge business. Everyone - especially at the top - wants their own piece of the pie and it's never enough.

[racerx009]

Women need to take control of their own sport, it's the only way to drive it forward the way they want it to go. Jan Tana would probably be a great ambassador and head of a new womens organisation. Bodybuilding is dependant on sponsorship from the big fitness and suppliament companies.

My personal overview. Originally, Weider and others, saw the women's sport as a way to tap into a largely missing 50% market ie Women, who did not consider weight lifting as feminine. Thus the first contests and Rachel McLish as the model for the sport.
Very quickly, women pushed their potential to the limit and cries of "too muscular" rang out, so Fitness and then Figure came into being. Now FBB's are considered a "liability" as they are so muscular that they no longer serve a purpose to promote suppliaments and equipment, in fact probably have a negative effect amongst the general public who see FBB's as evidence that if they exercise and take suppliaments, they will end up looking like Iris Kyle in 2 weeks! (this being the view held for many years I expect).

So the IFBB are withdrawing support for FBB's.  However, other organisations still exist, like NABBA. Alina Popa is a product of NABBA.  
NABBA have very muscular FBB's. NABBA invented Figure , years before the IFBB came up with the "idea", for women who either did not want to be as muscular as hard core women, or who were on their way from up from the Fitness category. Figure girls in NABBA don't just rotate when they pose, they flex. They wear high heels. They wear make up. Yes, they flex and pose! What a shock, they show their muscles in competition. Whatever next, that's almost too interesting....

The Hard core NABBA FBB's compete in.... The Physique division! Funny that. IFBB  not such a forward thinking organisation, is it?

What I don't understand is why the IFBB women are not leaving to join NABBA? NABBA get very little coverage, yet they have some of the worlds best bodybuilders. Everyone is obsessed with the IFBB and NPC. When the doom merchants say bodybuilding is dying, I say "rubbish, the IFBB is dying". Or self destructing.
Maybe the problem is that NABBA is an amateur organisition, I am not aware of how you would be regarded as a professional, I imagine you have to join the IFBB or NPC and start again.


I find the obsession with changing FBB odd. I thought it was just me, but I find IFBB figure and fitness totally un interesting. Nothing against the athletes, they are fansastic, fit, dedicated, beautiful, etc. iI just find those divisions boring . I found it interesting that this view is being voiced in a few bodybuilding forums from those who attended the Arnold weekend, so it can't just be me after all. It looks like if the IFBB are going to change their hard core women's division, they need to be looking at the whole of their contest structure. Happy Days!

Well said Timmon just one minor quibble, I've never felt the IFBB ever truly supported women's bodybuilding and I've followed this activity since 1982. I also second what you write about the NABBA for I've felt it to be a superior organization to the NPC/ IFBB for years as far as support for the idea of FBB's for years.

[Sar-Net]

Thank you all for posting your thoughts; I honestly couldn't agree with you all more.  For me personally FBB was a choice that I made as something I enjoyed doing.  Mostly likely because I have been very good friends with many Male BB for a long time, I have seen the politics for a long time.  I can't honestly say I understand either how so many FBB put all their eggs into a basket with so many holes.  I mean some of the women and men sacrafice so much and spend so much time for no real return and I personally do not understand it either  even as a competitor.

My suggestion to all competitors in any organization...USE THE ORGANIZATION AND PEOPLE AROUND IT..DON'T LET THEM USE YOU.  I mean some people have these massive dreams pertaining to BB; all the IFBB and NPC do is exploit these people's dream for their own financial gain.  I believe the sport is so bad now that even amateur male BB are giving prize money kick-backs to certain promoters just to win shows.  Not to mention NPC judges are being suspended for being caught trying to sexually exploit competitors for the sake of winning a shows.

I honestly do not like speaking bad about anyone or any entity, however, the IFBB makes enough money that each IFBB professional could have a paycheck and great health insurance, but certainly why would the organization do that when nobody really demands anything....


xoxoxo
BrandiMae
www.brandimae.com
www.clips4sale.com/studio/43156
www.sexybrandimae.blogspot.com   

The biggest problem with the IFBB is its not a sporting organization or a bodybuilding organization or any other organization that works, its fundamentally a Weider promotion vehicle.

What I think mite be a good idea is for all the FBB's (hell all the BB's) to simply quit the IFBB and organize a new federation dedicated to promote the sport, to make money for the contestants and setup real rules, real standards, do real promotion, create scollorships, etc., etc., etc., etc.

And make FBB a proper sport ware the contestants know exactly what is a winning physique, what exactly the judges will stress, ware symmetry and heath are as important as pure bulk and dieting is controlled to safe levels, ware professional makeup and hair are provided to the women at the contests, ware prise money is ware it should be with the contestants making  money and not just the weasels that bleed the sport dry getting rich off others work as it is today.

There is hundreds of billions in ad revenue some of which could be going into the sport and into the womens pockets, and I for one want to see it happen.

Getting a new federation started isn't cheap but its not a billion dollar deal either, I think at least a couple of hundred thousand (more is of course always better on a start up) and the right person could get it up and running, with a small office space, some initial small staff, utilities, etc. then contacting sponsors and getting things rolling, once going, funds from the initial contests and advertising revenue would pay for things,  then work could be done to expand, setup things to promote and grow the sport, new contests, television(initially purchasing infomercials, and then paid sports TV, etc.), collage scholarships to help tomorrows trainers and contestants, sports medical research, etc.

Setting up a real federation that is for the fans and contestants, not a chosen few insiders, and which continues when people leave/retire/die/etc. ...... and on and on, ever growing, ever forward.....

I really think the fans and contestants should get together and pool our resources and get some cash together and get the ball rolling.

I haven't got two nickels to rub together or I'd do it, maybe someday I'll win the lottery.

FBB will have their day, maybe not today, but someday.

[Ascercul]

Just wanted to add in a little theory of mine as for another reason for trying to "undo" female bodybuilding. The IFBB have tried to do this twice before. In 1992 the competitors were told to reduce their size for the Olympia. They complied. For one year. Just look at some pics from '91, '92 and '93.

Then after the 1999 Ms. Olympia "fiasco" the IFBB tried again to force the women to come in smaller. Again for one year only.

Now they're trying to do it again. What links these three events. Economic recession. Money has a big part to play in these kind of situations. The IFBB seem to consider that female bodybuilders are not marketable yet this forum clearly shows that there is a huge fanbase out there.

Another way of looking at the situation is like this: if women started to run the 100m in 10 seconds would the governing body say " you'd better slow down because you're not feminine enough?". Or how about telling women tennis players not to hit the ball too hard? There would be an outrage if it happened.

Women and humans in general will always strive for improvements. It's in our nature. Otherwise no one would have discovered fire and we would all still be living caves!

[pyro]

some points:

1. fbb is not marketable, due drug abuse some athletes went way off attractivity - also hardcore fans will agree
2. fetish sessions and prostitutions are the only way for some athletes to survive and continue training
3. the paysites do not run well - to many paysites and a big robbery from some self declared "fans" that eliminate the financial base of the girls
4. also mens hardcore bb is less and less marketable - only a big and financial strong gay community keeps it running

[asianfitnessfan]

The biggest problem with the IFBB is its not a sporting organization or a bodybuilding organization or any other organization that works, its fundamentally a Weider promotion vehicle.

EXACTLY.  K+

There is hundreds of billions in ad revenue some of which could be going into the sport and into the womens pockets, and I for one want to see it happen.

Weider can capture all of this ad revenue because they have diversified into varying aesthetic tastes-- FBB, figure, bikini, etc.  A future federation focused only on FBB will not make billions.  People buy mags to see the stars and are bombarded with ads for supplements at the same time.  Bodybuilding mags have been giving the same general advice since 1978, and it is all available on the internet.  People don't buy the mags to learn how to train.  These mags sell for the same reason Cosmopolitan and Mens Health sells-- people want to feel a part of the "scene," and that is not a bad thing. 

However, print mags are not growing, and the future revenue winners are the ones who control the content and images, not just the ones who sell paper mags.  Weider needs to consolidate a grip on the highest revenue-earning niches so they can own the content-- and what images do you think will entice people to download the latest iPhone issue of M&F for $2 a pop?  FBB or Bikini?  The revenue stream is not about contests, it is about who owns the "muscle" brand and most importantly-- the accompanying images.  The images fuel the aspiration that motivates people to spend $50 on supplement powders.  Whether we want to support bodybuilding is irrelevant--Jamie Eason sells more than Iris Kyle.

I anticipate a decline in FBB contests and more exclusive contracts for bikini girls-- weider wants to own those physique images.  I imagine that bikini will become a bit more muscular as people get used to the "sport."  Little changes will keep it exciting. We can have big news when a competitor moves from Bikini to Figure!

I agree with the comments above-- the big players in FBB need to organize and form their own federation. It wouldn't be a trillion dollar business, but at least it would be independent.  Weider walks all over the division because FBB's don't do the sport for money-- weider knows FBBs will do what they do regardless of compensation, so why would they spend more than they have to?

[/quote]

[jaf2]

"...Also men's hardcore bb is less and less marketable - only a big, and financially strong gay community keeps it running..."


This is interesting, Pyro.

Even morso than the larger supplement companies?


jaf2