What I always wonder is – who actually drinks redbull though? I mean, apart from on a night out when you’re wasted and think it’s a good idea?

and half is profit.

I very much doubt that. Gross margin may be in the region of 50% (would need to check) but would wager that their profit margin is considerably less. Probabaly 20-25% at the OP level and less at the PBT or PAT stage

would be interesting to know the exact figure…

More bones were broken in probably the TdF or the Olympic road race than at Rampage. Medics were on scene faster at Rampage than at either of the highest profile road cycling events of the year. There were 2 or 3 choppers on standby for medivac at all times.
The fact the riders are able to decide if they will run or not in the conditions also puts some of the power back with them. The event did feel like it was more facilitated by redbull but run by riders who really did know what they were doing.

Very good points

What I always wonder is – who actually drinks redbull though? I mean, apart from on a night out when you’re wasted and think it’s a good idea?

I reckon thats the largest chunk of it!

I think the Rampage is in danger of getting too big these days – some of the gaps etc are huge and it doesn’t sound like the (financial) reward for the riders is there. Of course there’s the kudos / bro-slaps for doing well.

From Red Bull’s point of view it does generate interest outside of mountain biking – a fair few people I know who have no interest in bikes were sharing McGarry’s helmet cam vid of the canyon back flip etc.

I get the impression that Zink was largely screwed over massively at one stage – no support from sponsors for riding it and then naff all prize money.

In a nation of massive medical bills and with risks these huge, I can’t imagine any / many / all of the riders being able to afford proper insurance cover. Feels to me like Red Bull have a moral responsibility to look after the riders, but I’ll be very pleasantly surprised if they do so.

No ones holding a gun to their heads and making them ride. I’d say most riders (who are into this sort of riding) want to attend this event and the money doesnt really factor into it.

They love riding and know the risks so this is just another great experience for them.

Out of curiosity does anyone know what the winner of the fest series rounds wins or even how they decide a winner? It seems like a lot of the riders in that are in it mostly for the fun and I think the gaps in that are the size of most of the gaps in rampage but less chance of falling off a cliff to be fair…

I get the impression that Zink was largely screwed over massively at one stage – no support from sponsors for riding it and then naff all prize money.

If his film is to be believed his entire career since he left a newly formed syndicate. Companies going bust and not following through on promises

No ones holding a gun to their heads and making them ride. I’d say most riders (who are into this sort of riding) want to attend this event and the money doesnt really factor into it.
They love riding and know the risks so this is just another great experience for them.

You make it sound like a few mates having a knock about in their local woods, when it’s a very good example of the commercialisation of MTBing… Go back to the very early 00’s and it was very much an informal type event with a bunch of riders knocking about digging rough lines and having a crack, documented in a couple of videos and mag articles (see dirt/sprung) it would have pettered out but for the investment of redbull (and some other sponsors) and the emergence of live streaming of less mainstream sports… Now it’s an annual “Event” getting plenty of coverage and exposure for any logos draped on the side of the hill and stuck on the riders…

It’s a business now, and as such capitalises on riders with skill and ability beyond that of most, it also requires them to take risks with their health, so safeguards and insurance are a real requirement. You can’t have it both ways claim it’s all props and high-fives while redbull and specialized flog their wares off the back of it…

These two articles on Vital sum everything up for me and are well worth a read:

http://www.vitalmtb.com/features/Opinion-When-Does-Risk-Outweigh-the-Reward-How-Red-Bull-Rampage-Changed-Our-Perspective,932

then

http://www.vitalmtb.com/features/After-the-Crash-Red-Bull-Steps-Up-Basagoitia-on-the-Mend-Positive-Changes-for-Rampage-and-the-Bike-I,937

I think the rider are ‘progression junkies’; riding local trails and jumps as kids – pushing to do more tricks etc. combined with natural talent/courage gets them to this place. I dont think they can stop it

Riding has progressed immensely over the past 10 years or so. There’s little kids on skate parks now who are pulling tricks that would’ve won them the x-games 10 or 15 years ago.
It’s about marketing, even the marketing for this weekend’s red bull hard-line states with the course cleaning many victims last year many riders consider just finishing the course a victory. Danger and risk sell. Look how popular the isle of man tt is.

This says it better than i ever could…

Rampage was the catalyst that started my fiancé, Kyle Strait’s, career. He is an insanely talented rider as we all know, but I am confident in saying if it wasn’t for Rampage Kyle would have never had the opportunities he has had that have greatly shaped his career. I have been to 3 Rampages now and every year they become more complicated. To hear him reminisce of the “old days” makes me frustrated. Why does corporation greed have to ruin something so pure. But on the flip side, would NBC have ever aired Rampage if it wasn’t for Red Bull?
The action sports community needs to know that this year was the hardest rampage ever to support. One of the conclusions that I came to is that Red Bull is making short term financial decisions regarding rampage. When you are fighting against the athletes rather than working with them to make this the best possible event, you guarantee its destruction. If they were to offer an environment where the athletes were free of any worries other than getting down the hill (by giving health insurance, pay, covering expenses, etc) they would loose out in a small fraction of their profits, but would ensure the longevity and progression of the sport. It made me sick to see how distracting it was for Kyle to be fighting with them every step of the way rather than being allowed to focus on his line and run down the hill. The man rarely crashes and he crashed twice, hard. And this is where is because even more dangerous. I am extremely thankful that he is safe, but can not help but wonder if this distraction effected other riders too. RB seems to care about one thing in regards to Rampage, to obtain as much as possible for as little as possible in terms of giving back. The “Show” that Rampage has turned into is something I find hard to support anymore. Which is a shame since so many people in our sport truly love Rampage for what it really was, a true freeride event.