Bodybuildng could quite possibly be one of the most expensive sports on the planet. Between the food, the drugs, and the travel, it’s enough to leave most competitors in the poor house. Many are maxing out their credit cards, coach surfing, and some even wind up living in their vehicles. I mean think about it – there aren’t many jobs that are going to put up with the time constraints that a national-level amateur or pro physique-based athlete must deal with. We’re not talking about a person who does a show every few months. We’re talking about men and women who are on the pro card track or who are already competing in the pro ranks. These are the most dedicated of all; they live the life – no apologies, take no prisoners.
Now imagine, getting to the point of actually winning a pro show. You should be set, right? You should be able to take a month or two off to just reset and relax. But if you win 1st place at many shows in 2026, you might just get a measly $10,000 (PRE TAX).
What are you going to do with roughly $7,600? Forget about taking a month off, you might not even be able to take a week off. Hell, you might not even be able to a have a couple days to yourself. Most protocols will easily exceed $2k for a contest – and those aren’t extravagant by most standards. Then there’s the food, the airline ticket(s), the hotel. Some competitors bring a significant other or fly out their coach. OH, AND COACHES NEED TO BE PAID! AS DO THOSE CREDIT CARDS. That’s assuming a competitor wants to protect their credit score. At the end of the day, what’s $7,600 going to do? It’s hardly anything to write home about and it really makes the case that bodybuilding is one of the most expensive sports on the planet. Even when you win, are you really winning? But I guess it depends on each competitor’s situation.
I guess if you’re homeless, live in a van down by the river, and shower at Planet Fitness, then a $10,000 top prize in 2026 might be something to get excited about. For most homed people, with bills and obligations, it’s more an insult than anything else. But there’s plenty of promoters that still offer this sad amount as prize money. And some don’t even pay on time! And let’s not even get started on Masters prize money. That’s even more depressing.
What’s the take home message here? It’s that bodybuilding is expensive and prize money (in many cases) has not changed with the times. Do we expect it to? I know, I don’t. Bodybuilders don’t ever complain, they just go with the flow, they don’t want to make trouble. They’ll smile for the cameras and keep coming back for more. They’re not exactly the type that are going to make the promoters dig a little deeper into their pockets. It’s sad, but true.
