Mountain Sports become more expensive year in and year out

Skiing and snowboarding have become luxury sports. A week spent in a skiing resort in the north of Spain, France, Italy, or the United States can cost up to $3000 per person including accomodations, board rent and skiing fees. New snow sports have also been created such as the kite snowboardind which includes a kite and an expensive rescue system.
Snow parachuting is executed from a helicopter from an altitute of about 5000 meters (15000 feet). Snowboarders land on steep slopes that couldn't have been reached by hiking. The last "new sport" is called free riding. Created in the rocky mountains in the late 1980s it is now a very common activity among professional "riders". The best is to rent a helicopter for the day to pick them up at the bottom and drop them at the peaks. Moreover they can change spots and be rescued if something was to happen.
All in all, because of several factors such as globalization, currency change(euros), expensive hotels, new sports, snow sports are becoming as expensive as going fishing or playing a round of golf in some prestigious place.

The Business of N.B.A. Stars

There are many professional basketball players in the N.B.A. that have growing endorsements each year. Ever since Michael Jordan's dominance in the sport, basketball players have seen increasing revenues each year. Young star Lebron James signed a $90 million deal with Nike when he entered the league at 18 years old. This was before he even played a minute in the league. He also receives endorsements by Coca-Cola for the soda Sprite, as well as Jordan's own company, "Jump-Man 23." The image of the N.B.A., however, is a big concern for the commissioner, David Stern. When Kobe Bryant faced rape charges in 2004, he lost some of his major sponsors, which included Sprite. Now, it is young stars like Lebron, Dwyane Wade, and Carmello Anthony that represent the N.B.A. in its main advertising. In addition, they all hold major sponsorships from companies such as Nike, T-Mobile, Sprite, Reebok, and Converse. These deals all add up to over $100 million. As the N.B.A. grows, the league is using its star players to advertise, as well as major companies in the U.S. From Michael Jordan, all the way down, the N.B.A.'s finest have reaped many benefits, and there will be plenty more in the future.

The Business Side of Rugby League

Rugby League is a highly popular sport in the UK. However, it doesnt attract the huge coporate sponsors like the US sports of NFL/MLB etc, despite the huge physical demands of the sport. The players have to place their bodies on the line every day they step on the pitch, for minimum wage of many sportsmen in the world. It is clear that the players are playing for the love of the game as opposed to money and riches. In the UK Rugby League is a blue collar sport with many people from the Northern working towns playing as opposed the more densley populated and richer South of England