I get this mindset but maybe more people should be able to make their livings as full-time pros? We'd have very few pros if we only counted those who can live off of training full-time. I think that just because there isn't a ton of money in the sport it doesn't mean that people aren't professional athletes. We should be talking about how to spread prize money further instead of saying X isn't a real pro because they finished 11th at IM Florida & prize $$$ goes 10 deep & isn't very much past the first few places. Top-100 PTO types finished out of the money in Florida. They're professional athletes.

Totally agree that there are top AG athletes training like full-time pros. But those same athletes have earned pro qualification & aren't turning pro because of sentiments like this. They don't want to be seen as pros who can't make a living in the sport so they rack up AG podiums instead.