There was an interesting perspective on climbing comps on this website as well as a good hold review: http://deadpoint.idigitaledition.com/issues/Issue5/ I was wondering if anyone else saw it. Personally, I think NE2C is doing a damn good job of putting on a good spectator event.
@Isaac - Yes I saw this. I'd like some more US input for context, as I seem to recall that the PCA and ABS (now under the aegis of USAC) were competing series. So I did wonder whether this was behind some of the commentary.
First of all, that article wasn't about climbing comps - it was about bouldering comps. Climbing comps are held on 50 foot tall walls with ropes and belayers and stuff, like the ones in Europe. The word "bouldering" is never even used in the article. Why is that? Why not just call it what is?
I think there will come a day when a pro bouldering comp circuit becomes viable, as the gym-bred segment of the climbing population becomes the dominant demographic, but it seems delusional to suggest that having a flamboyant persona, as the article tries to suggest, will accelerate that trend - if anything it will turn people off. Look at Sharma, by far the most successful pro climber ever, who to his credit brings a mature, dignified, zen attitude to the sport. That is, obviously, how to market both the climber and the sport itself.
Interesting Perspective on Comps