Personally, I gave up on the idea of bodybuilding because of the extent of the drug requirements to be competitive on stage. Not only are there steroids and hgh, but over the past decade of being on here insulin use seems to have gone from something that freaked people out and needed a lot of close monitoring to just part of the program now. I get more knowledge is gained over time but unholy shit at using something to treat diabetes that could result in fatality or great immediate physical harm. Then after you put on the size for actual competition you need to put yourself in a toxic state then slap in some diuretics to look lean and dry enough. I get there are worse ones and less punishing ones, but you've got some guy who probably isn't even at your comp with you telling you what to take and how to counter things, if he responds in time. Read plenty of posts where people had to make a call because they didn't hear back and thought they might pass out and not wake up. That's not bodybuilding, that's unattended chemotherapy.
Ignoring for a moment the lack of return financially, you are not getting an ROI for what you're doing to your body at contest. If you enjoy that experience or the chemistry of it, ir the thrill, fine, but what bodybuilding has become is not something I'm going to finance or subscribe to. Maybe when things change where the lives of the athletes matter, it'll garner more interest. You can make all the fame and more money and never have to take a diuretic on Social media.
I still massively respect the competitors who self sacrifice and put in the blood, sweat, tears and longevity for something they love but they don't make millions even as pros like the NFL, NBA. Etc. To me though, the sport should be doing more for the athletes and it doesn't.
I do strongman now and my only interest in competing is to be able to actually call myself a strongman and to join that brother (and sister) hood of people who lift crazy things but put it on the line in a different way. I also don't have to worry about diuretics or slin (at least no competitor or pro I've spoken to uses or has heard of anyone using it). I might eventually push to go to strongman nationals or get my pro card (masters) but it would only be to say I got there rather than to make money or garner a following, etc. Competition is about what you want for yourself. It isn't about the money, the fame, the trophy, or the title. Those things don't last and they are quick to hand it off to the next. The people who view it that way are the ones who stick with it.