The Romano Factor
John Romano
John Romano’s name is synonymous with “no bull-crap,” “candid,” and “hardcore.” He’s worked tirelessly to build up an ironclad reputation in the fitness industry through his work as senior editor of Muscular Development magazine and co-founder of Rx Muscle (see also: Heavy Muscle Radio and Muscle Girls Inc.). He’s been consulted as a steroid expert on HBO, ESPN, and ABC’s 20/20, as well as the movie Bigger, Stronger, Faster. Most recently, John worked as director of Internet media at VPX (and host of Shotgun Radio). In his spare time, he is a contributing author for countless blogs, magazines, and articles, including authoring the Muscle Meals cookbook.
Print
Like the Phoenix - from the Ashes Rises Women’s Bodybuilding
The latest change in the hierarchy of women’s professional bodybuilding has seen the 28-year-old Ms. International title and the 34-year-old Ms. Olympia title retired. No more zeniths of women’s pro bodybuilding. As far as the promoters of these women’s events are concerned, WBB was no longer a profitable business model. So, as any good CEOs would do, they made the business decision to set aside the two most prestigious titles in the IFBB and focus their attention on the other more “in demand” divisions.
Now, the perceived phasing out of women’s bodybuilding wasn’t done to be mean—although you’d never know it by some of the tantrums being thrown on social media denouncing the IFBB. Some of the conjecture is just asinine. Apropos, I suppose, considering some of the audience WBB attracts. Nevertheless, as Confucius once supposedly said, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” And that’s what happened. Amid the endless wretched bitching and moaning, someone actually stepped up to the plate and did something.
As human nature would have it, when put to the fire, the most vocal opponents to the retiring of the aforementioned titles reached into their apparently deep pockets and pulled out a $50,000 cash first-place prize ($99,500 total purse) and a custom Jeep Wrangler. All together, that’s more than double the highest first place ever awarded to a Ms. Olympia in its history.
Thanks to a forward-thinking promoter named Tim Gardner and his partners, the IFBB has sanctioned the Wings of Strength Rising Phoenix World Championships to take over where the Ms. Olympia left off … so to speak. They’re basically continuing the IFBB Ms. Olympia qualification point system and promoting a much more prestigious event. But why not just bring back the Ms. Olympia? According to the promoter with whom I spoke, the sanctioning fee for the Ms. Olympia was $50,000 a year! The smart businessmen said they’d rather give that money to the ladies. And therein lies true business acumen and compassion for the sport and especially its amazing athletes.
The value of something is only based upon the check that someone’s willing to write for it. After years of lower and lower prize money and relegation to expo sideshow, the Ms. Olympia doesn’t bling like it used to. The title means less today than it ever has and has demonstrated it’s not worth its asking price. It’s the participants who are important, and I’m happy to say the right decision was made! I attended the show and was extremely happy over the influence the promoters had on their brand. The show results showed a clear delineation between fitness, figure, physique, and bodybuilding. Perhaps the biggest message sent was to the erstwhile female bodybuilders trying to infiltrate physique with their division-confusing “packages.” They were relegated to the back of the bus, where they should be. You want to be a bodybuilder? Then stay out of physique. We have bodybuilding. But, it was the reward for the women bodybuilders that made me the happiest of all: $50,000 cash and a totally custom four-door Jeep Wrangler that had to be worth at least $75,000. And that’s how it should be.
All of the women’s events today—bikini, fitness, figure and physique—were built off the backs of the bodybuilders. We’d have none of these divisions today if it weren’t for the profound influence Ms. Olympias Rachel McLish, Cory Everson, and Lenda Murray had on women to get in the gym. It’s not the women’s fault the judges led bodybuilding so far astray. They lost control of it, and the downward spiral seemed unrecoverable. Until now. The Rising Phoenix definitely represents its namesake, as well as a pivotal point in our sport—if, and as history proved, that’s a big if, the financial support for these women will continue and the judging will continue to represent a containable, balanced package of beauty, femininity, and muscle. If that the case, then women’s bodybuilding is in for a huge and well-deserved revival.
For more information about women's bodybuilding - past, present, and future - check out this article!
Categories: