*Cue that song Money by Pink Floyd*
BMX has never really been the most lucrative thing in the world. For a lot of reasons. It's difficult and dangerous to be good at, bikes require a lot more effort to make than a skateboard and cost a lot more if you want a decent one, and parents usually see it as a potentially bad environment for a child. But this isn't new news, and it surely doesn't kill BMX. It still is very much alive and still makes a decent profit compared to other things.
Lately, there has been a big stir up in BMX through the last few months. Adam LZ on Stranger, Harry Main Joining MafiaBikes, among other people lashing out towards the way BMX seems to be turning, it's been a little odd to say the least. At least to me, BMX isn't in the early 2000s anymore, we are in an even more technological era. Whether or not we enjoy that is up to you, but that's not what I'm here to complain about or question.
Times have definitely changed. 4-5 Years ago if you said "webisode" people would've looked at you funny. Okay maybe not, but it's a new form of content really for BMX. It's not really like an edit or a DVD part, it's just some people and how they spent that day with their friends riding bikes. It's cool. I enjoy webisodes and such. Shit, my friends and I make them too! (BethanyBMX) But a lot of companies (until now) completely ignored LZ, Boqer123, etc. due to the fact that the following wasn't HUGE. Now it is. Kids have been stoked on them and now they're buying parts based on what these dudes ride. (How many people do you think bought the Deco Lifted frame based on how LZ rode it? A lot. I remember seeing something Chad Degroot said about it.)
But is this a good thing or a bad thing? BMX isn't a lifestyle for a lot of these kids like it is for me and many others. BMX does, however, need some more economic flow to continue it's prolonged existence and grow to really start having a hand in changing things. There is a lot of "ifs" there, I know. But here, where i live (WV), a lot of parks don't even allow bikes. Simply put, not that many people ride bikes around here to complain about it enough to change it. But in Wheeling, (based on one of my first threads I made on here way back in 2012 I think), more people skate. Why? Wheeling is a bunch of poor people (these days), and a skateboard doesn't need to cost more than 150$. A small price to pay for a lot of fun. There is a big park and they refuse to allow bikes since there really aren't many people trying.
Not saying there aren't kids on shitty walmart mongoose bikes, but they are usually too young to know better. A real skatepark has BMX Lifers there that keep it going and ride there on the regular.
Long story short, BMX is more expensive than the other spectrums of extreme sports. Even scootering (even though those idiots spend way too much on that shit), is generally cheaper. BMX isn't gonna just "Be cheaper" like it's simple to do. And there have been efforts among the population to sell stuff for less. And you technically could spend very little on your bike. I spend most of my cash in the second hand bracket of things. Through the for sale section on here to people I know. My whole bike by now probably only ran me 500$.
I'm digressing. Sorry. BMX is growing and changing. Props isn't around anymore (the webisodes before webisodes happened) and YouTube is the new Television. What must companies do to sell more parts and make sure BMX stays healthy and strong? Logically they have to advertise. Like anything, a sponsorship means your riding has become your job and it's your job to sell bike parts. How many pros actually do that? Not that many. If I see a professional rider I ask, "who is buying bike parts because of him?" Aaron Ross is a great Pro based on that. Sure, lots of companies "don't give a shit and sponsor who they like" and that's cool, but economically it doesn't make sense. Really, a company needs an image as well, dare I say it, CULT has the trendiest image these days. Out of the companies that are around right now. Which helps them sell their boring parts.
So naturally, BMX does need money. You cannot argue that. Without some money how can they throw jams. Make skateparks, or have cool shit like Texas Toast (didn't go up this year, Why? Not enough corporate sponsorship!).
If I had it my way, BMX (or the world) would drop the Capitalistic side of things. And just make sure it's all for fun and everyone gets a bike and the jams were just a naturally provided thing from the bicycle community coming together.
This won't happen. We live in an angry world and people are too self concerned for any of that to work. So how do we find the happy medium? How do we find the way in which people join BMX and stick around and people don't worry about money? What is the piece we are missing to create a perfect BMX world?
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References: OneGuyIlluminatiEye, robinson79, Brian Griffin, The Horror Contact, StoreBoughtChild, C_Johnsonbmx, dkTechEthan, etc.
it's about money and business for everyone ultimately , it's the intentions that need to be pure . You can not run a legit company without money ! 
